Background
Despite increased surveillance and treatment, sexually
transmitted disease infections caused by Chlamydia continue to rise. It is
estimated that over 20 million new cases of infection occur annually in
developed countries, with over 75 million new cases occurring annually in
developing countries. Chlamydial
genital tract infection is more than 5 times more common than gonorrhea and has
been correlated with increased risk of HIV infection and other STD pathogens.
Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading cause of tubal infertility and
pelvic inflammatory disease.
Chlamydial genital infection occurs in 5-15% of pregnant women, and 50%
of their babies will develop inclusion conjunctivitis or respiratory infections
making C. trachomatis the most common ocular pathogen in infants. 40% of those infected who are left
untreated experience pelvic inflammatory disease with permanent damage, chronic
pain, infertility and potentially fatal pregnancies. Other factors such as repeated exposure,
asymptomatic and/or persistent infections make diagnosis difficult, which leads
authorities to estimate that the number of infected individuals is double the
number of reported infections.
Although antibiotics can clear many chlamydial infections, they do not
prevent re-infection.
Details
Wayne State
University inventors have developed several peptide
vaccine candidates that are genus specific; conformational; and easy to
manufacture. These benefits overcome several of the prior impediments to the
development of a Chlamydia vaccine:
antigenically diverse surface proteins; enhanced survival within host cells;
biphasic development cycle; reduced inflammatory responses; and the ability to
enter a persistent state. New research results include antibody responses of
peptide-immunized mice against individual peptides; reduction in infectious
loads and gross inflammation (histology in progress); adoptive transfer of
spleen cells from immunized BALB/c mice to SCID or naïve BALB/c mice which were
subsequently challenged with C.
trachomatis showing protection (histology, infectious loads). Additional
challenge studies are being done.
Patent Status: A PCT patent application is
pending.
Licensing Terms: An exclusive licensing arrangement is
desired. Discussions regarding
compassionate use and distribution in developing countries are
necessary.