Anthrax vaccines

About: Anthrax vaccines is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 685 publications have been published within this topic receiving 21495 citations.

Antibodies against Anthrax Toxins: A Long Way from Benchlab to the Bedside

Abstract: Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, and is a potential biowarfare/bioterrorist agent. Its pulmonary form, caused by inhalation of the spores, is highly lethal and is mainly related to injury caused by the toxins secretion. Antibodies neutralizing the toxins of B. anthracis are regarded as promising therapeutic drugs, and two are already approved by the Federal Drug Administration. We developed a recombinant human-like humanized antibody, 35PA83 6.20, that binds the protective antigen and that neutralized anthrax toxins in-vivo in White New Zealand rabbits infected with the lethal 9602 strain by intranasal route. Considering these promising results, the preclinical and clinical phase one development was funded and a program was started. Unfortunately, after 5 years, the preclinical development was cancelled due to industrial and scientific issues. This shutdown underlined the difficulty particularly, but not only, for an academic laboratory to proceed to clinical development, despite the drug candidate being promising. Here, we review our strategy and some preliminary results, and we discuss the issues that led to the no-go decision of the pre-clinical development of 35PA83 6.20 mAb. Our review provides general information to the laboratories planning a (pre-)clinical development.

Animal anthrax in Sirajganj district of Bangladesh from 2010 to 2012

Abstract: A descriptive study was conducted using secondary surveillance data of animal anthrax from the Epidemiology Unit of Department of Livestock Services (DLS) for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. The objectives of this study were to describe the pattern of animal anthrax in Sirajgong district of Bangladesh from 2010 to 2012 and to assess the current use of anthrax vaccine (Vaccine Coverage) based on animal, time and place. The study found that the disease was more prevalent in this district at the beginning of the early monsoon (Month of May, June when flood water enters) and the late monsoon (Month of September, October, when flood water recedes). Cattle were the predominant animal species affected with anthrax in this district followed by goats and sheep. The overall mean case fatality rate was 30.19%. The numbers of reported anthrax outbreaks in cattle had declined each year with 111 in 2010, 32 in 2011 and 20 in 2012. The annual mean vaccination coverage during the same years was 44.29%, 46.23% and 37.88% respectively. To reduce the number of outbreaks in animals and humans in Sirajganj district the annual vaccination coverage requires improvement. Behavior change through building greater awareness of anthrax is also needed at the farmer level for control and eradication of anthrax in animals as well as human. Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. December 2015, 1(3): 387-395

Anthrax antigen synthesized

Abstract: ANTHRAX, A LETHAL Disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis , is a serious terrorism concern. In 2001, anthrax spores mailed to media and U.S. Senate offices resulted in five deaths. Antibiotics and vaccines to fight the disease are being studied by a number of research groups worldwide. Now, researchers have achieved the first total synthesis of a key oligosaccharide from the anthrax bacterium's surface glycoprotein. Postdoc Daniel B. Werz and chemistry professor Peter H. Seeberger at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, carried out the work ( Angew.Chem. Int. Ed ., published online Sept. 19, dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.200502615). The oligosaccharide includes a unique terminal sugar that has so far been found only in the anthrax bacterium. The ability to synthesize the tetrasaccharide and analogs from simple precursors could aid discovery of carbohydrate-based vaccines with selective antianthrax activity. An anthrax vaccine for humans is available, but it is hard ...

Improved vaccination against anthrax

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for immunizing a mammal against B. anthracis using a composition of pure recombinant Protective Antigen (rPA), optionally in combination with truncated Lethal Factor polypeptide (LFn). Formulations of the pure rPA immunogen have little or no reactogenicity and therefore may be administered to a mammalian subject in very high doses of 50 νg to 1000 νg or more rPA, which is at least four times the amount of PA included per dose in conventional anthrax vaccines. Preferred immunogenic compositions are free of adjuvant and other undesired components, further enhancing the effectiveness and safety of the compositions. Methods for preparing the immunogenic compositions and for purifying rPA and LFn polypeptides also are disclosed.