Asian Scientist (Feb. 18, 2014) – A three-year partnership between the Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), National University of Singapore (NUS), National University Hospital (NUH) and Sanofi Pasteur has been signed to embark on a Phase IV clinical trial to understand age-related loss of immunity and the consequent reduced responsiveness to vaccination in the elderly.
Declining birth rates coupled with higher life expectancy have raised the percentage of elderly citizens in Singapore significantly over the last 10 years and the number is expected to increase to 900,000 by 2030. An aging population will mean greater demand for healthcare facilities to keep the elderly healthy.
The study therefore aims to meet this growing need by finding new strategies and improving existing ones to help sustain immunity in the elderly. The research team will examine the compromised immunity associated with ageing and identify predictive markers of the condition. More specifically, the researchers hope to highlight the defective immune functions in Asian elderly.
Dr. Anis Larbi, a principle investigator of the study, said, “Infections account for most mortalities of elderly above the age of seventy, yet there is still no efficient way to sustain immunity in them. The outcome of the study will give us clues on the approaches we can take to reduce or restore dysregulated immunity in elderly to ensure healthier longevity.”
The trial will utilize a vaccine by Sanofi Pasteur and results are expected to be generated over the next two years.
“We hope to find an answer to why elderly do not respond well to vaccines and through it, find solutions to help them respond better,” said Prof. Paul Anantharajah Tambyah, an infectious diseases expert at NUH.
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Source: A*STAR; Photo: Ethan Prater/Flickr/CC.
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