Pirbright: new vaccine offers longer immunity to bird flu

A new bird flu vaccine in development at The Pirbright Institute in the UK could be cheaper to produce and provide longer-lasting immunity than conventional vaccines.

JurgaR | iStockPhoto.com
JurgaR | iStockPhoto.com

A new bird flu vaccine in development at The Pirbright Institute in the UK could be cheaper to produce and provide longer-lasting immunity than conventional vaccines, according to research released last week.

Unlike current vaccines, which use weakened versions of the virus itself, the new Pirbright vaccine contains a single protein taken from the surface of the virus, according to Munir Iqbal, head of the Avian Influenza Virus group at The Pirbright Institute. That protein was then altered so that it would target specific cells within the chicken's immune systems – a method initially pioneered as a potential treatment for cancer, Iqbal said.

Trials so far indicate the targeted protein triggers a more aggressive immune response much faster than conventional vaccines, according to a report by Iqbal's team, published in the journal npj Vaccines. Ongoing tests indicate that immunity also lasts longer – at least three months based on current on their current research, Iqbal said.

It is possible, Iqbal said, that a single dose of the targeted protein-based vaccine could if administered to day-old hatchlings provide lifetime immunity against H9N2, one of the viruses that causes bird flu.

Because the vaccine does not contain a live virus, specialized high-containment facilities would not be required for the vaccine's production, according to Pirbright. In addition, the protein necessary for the vaccine can be replicated in insect cells rather than egg cells, Iqbal said, which could reduce food waste associated with vaccine production as well as cutting costs.

Although the vaccine itself would only apply to a single strain of bird flu, the technology it contains may be adapted to fight other livestock diseases, Iqbal said. He said the team is currently considering work on Newcastle disease, infectious bursal disease and infectious bronchitis virus or IBV.

“This isn't just bird flu,” Iqbal said. “It's a prototype example that we can use to protect against any disease in chickens or turkeys, hopefully.”

As for the new flu vaccine itself – Pirbright has begun to explore commercial production and a patent is in the works. There is still some additional testing to be completed before the vaccine is ready for use in the field, but Iqbal said Pirbright's commercial collaborators “are very much interested in bringing [the vaccine] to market in the near future.”

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