GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals and the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation entered into a new public-private partnership to develop GSK Biologicals' tuberculosis candidate vaccine Mtb72F/AS02A, which has shown promising results in preclinical studies. In addition, the vaccine has shown a good safety and immunogenicity profile in early-stage clinical trials conducted by GSK Biologicals.
The announcement was made during the World Conference on Lung Health in Paris
Over the coming months, GSK Biologicals and Aeras plan to move forward with additional safety and immunogenicity trials in Europe involving adults previously infected with TB or vaccinated with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). The plan is then to begin studies in Africa and other locations to test the safety and efficacy of the vaccine candidate in populations highly affected by TB. GSK Biologicals, who will provide its candidate vaccine, will be responsible for conducting these clinical trials, states a GSK release.
GSK Biologicals' candidate vaccine Mtb72F/AS02A consists of a recombinant fusion protein (Mtb72F) formulated in a proprietary GSK adjuvant system (AS02A) that appears to induce strong, long lasting cellular and humoral immune responses.
"This vaccine candidate represents one of the most promising avenues for developing a safe and effective TB vaccine. Cooperation between the public and private sector is essential to harness the most promising technologies so we can deliver an effective vaccine as quickly as possible to those who need it most. We salute GSK Biologicals for bringing the vaccine to this stage and look forward to moving it forward together," said Dr. Jerald Sadoff, CEO. Aeras.
This announcement comes in the wake of the declaration in August by World Health Organisation director General Jong-Wook Lee that TB now constitutes a regional health emergency in Africa, where the number of TB cases has quadrupled since 1990. Of the 25 million Africans now living with HIV, about 8 million are also infected with the bacillus that causes TB.