British Team To Design More Stable and Efficient Vaccines

The requirement to maintain and distribute vaccines at low temperatures from manufacturing plant to patient (the "cold chain”) is a major limitation that is preventing modern vaccines from reaching large numbers of people living in the less developed countries. To overcome this problem the British biochemical companies Lipoxen (London, UK) and Cambridge BioStability Limited (Cambridge, UK) have entered into a research agreement with the University of Cambridge (UK) and the Health Protection Agency (London, UK) to develop vaccine materials that are more stable, have a long shelf life, require fewer doses in order to be effective, and overcome the cold-chain storage and distribution problem associated with traditional vaccines.

Lipoxen brings to the group its liposomal technology, which combines DNA and protein forms of an antigen in liposomes, to generate a strong immune response after a single dose. Cambridge BioStability Limited will contribute its VitRIS and HydRIS techniques, which deliver a number of benefits over traditional vaccine formulation methods (including those based on freeze-drying). Suitable antigens of interest will be provided by the Health Protection Agency.

M. Scott Maguire, CEO of Lipoxen, said, "We are excited to be entering into this unique first-class partnership and pooling our resources and expertise with Cambridge Biostability, Cambridge University, and the Health Protection Agency. I believe that this consortium is well positioned to develop the next generation of vaccines, which will be of immense benefit for the developing world vaccination programs. There is little doubt that significant improvements in public health and life expectancy could be achieved if modern vaccines could be delivered to a much greater proportion of the developing world's population.”

Related LInks:
Lipoxen
Cambridge BioStability Limited
University of Cambridge
Health Protection Agency