PolyVac · Polysaccharide-based membrane for sublingual vaccination

Polysaccharide-based membrane for sublingual vaccination

Vaccination is one of the most effective methods against life threatening diseases. Vaccines administered by the mucosal route (oral, vaginal…) present the advantage to be needle-free and reduce the risk of pathogen transmission. Among the existing mucosal vaccines, the sublingual ones are an interesting way of immunisation since the sublingual mucosa is particularly thin and would allow easy penetration of antigens. Also, this administration allows to bypass the gastrointestinal tract, has better safety record than intranasal vaccines and have better compliance for vaccinating infants and children. They have a fast removal by body fluids and enzymes. PolyVac introduces a pioneering system for controlled targeted delivery of bioactive molecules and, for the proof of concept envisages the development of a sublingual vaccine for HIV. HIV contamination is mainly transmitted via the mucous membrane. Protecting these pathways by directly producing antibodies to the mucosa would be an innovative strategy for preventive treatment. In immunology, it is known that the different mucosal tissues of the body are connected and that, therefore, the immune protection provided by a vaccine could spread through the mucosal tissue. Thus, it has been established that the activation of antibody production by the sublingual route also allows for the production of antibodies in the vaginal mucosa. In PolyVac, we propose an innovative approach to vaccination using a patch to be used under the tongue that would provide mucosal protection at remote sites. This patch will be composed of natural polymers, completely biodegradable and produced by green chemistry. This patch will include an HIV antigen and a biological adjuvant that will stimulate the immune response. Sublingual immunisation tests are planned in vivo to check for the presence of so-called neutralising antibodies in both vaginal and rectal mucosa, unknown information to date. As outcomes it is expected to obtain mucosal protection at remote sites after sublingual administration of the vaccine. If successful, this mode of administration would allow prophylactic treatment against HIV and could also be applied to other infectious diseases. PolyVac envisages, as final product, an innovative sublingual patch for human immunotherapy that among the advantages presented above will also overcome one of the main drawbacks of injected vaccines that is the storage at around 4°C. Overcoming this issue they could be widely used for immunotherapy in the developing countries.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз