mRNA vaccine against tuberculosis

2024: Vaccine Development

Specialists from Sirius University have developed an mRNA vaccine against tuberculosis. She has already successfully passed preclinical tests, the press service of the university said in mid-February 2024.

mRNA-based drugs are delivered to target organs using a non-viral delivery system - lipid nanoparticles. The technology allows it to be used both for the development of vaccines against viral and bacterial pathogens, and for the production of drugs for the treatment of cancer. MRNA vaccines may have higher efficacy compared to vaccines based on protein antigens, scientists emphasize. At the same time, the cost of their production and scaling is cheaper, since the acellular method of production is used for production.

source = University of Sirius

As explained in the press service of the Sirius University, the developed vaccine against tuberculosis showed high immunogenicity and protective activity on two species of rodents. When the developed vaccine is administered, a pronounced T-cell response is formed in mice. It is the T-cell response that plays a key role in ensuring the complete destruction of the pathogen. By February 2024, a dossier for the first phase of clinical trials was prepared. The project is being implemented with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science on the national project "Science and Universities."

By February 2024, BCG remains the only approved tuberculosis vaccine in the world. As Roman Ivanov, director of the Scientific Center for Translational Medicine at Sirius University, told Gazeta.Ru, the main drawback of this drug is that it does not provide complete protection against pulmonary tuberculosis in adults. The use of BCG for revaccination of adults is not recommended by WHO, since the risk of side effects outweighs the possible benefit, Ivanov explained.^[1]

Notes