A world premiere by Vaxinano a start-up of INFINITE :
Wednesday, September 09th 2020
In this publication, Vaxinano’s nasal vaccine administered using a nasal spray protects sheep against chronic and congenital Toxoplasma gondii infection (Ducournau C. & al. Front. Immunol. 2020). This vaccine will also benefit the general public health by reducing the socio-economic burden associated to the consumption of contaminated meat, the major source of human toxoplasmosis.
Foodborne toxoplasmosis is a threatening parasitic disease of public health concern with about one in three people being infected among the global population (over 2 billion people…).
Generally, fever, chronic pain and ocular diseases are diagnosed with Toxoplasma gondii infection whereas abortion, stillborn or disabled children may result from an infection occurring during pregnancy. Toxoplasmosis potentially leads to death in immune-compromised patients suffering from AIDS, cancer or undergoing organ transplantation.
Based on previous achievements with a large number of vaccines, Vaxinano has developed its anti-toxoplasmosis vaccine for sheep in collaboration with the University of Tours (BioMAP laboratory) and INRAE, the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment. By limiting meat contamination, the vaccine will reduce the number of cases of foodborne toxoplasmosis in humans. The annual cost of this disease is over 2 billion $ in US. Accordingly, the vaccine will diminish the economic losses associated to abortions and stillbirths in sheep, which are currently estimated at 1.5 million cases annually in Europe.
“The vaccine administered via a nasal spray is made of starch and lipid particles loaded with T. gondii antigens. We have produced a safe vaccine without using living parasites, therefore unable to contaminate the consumers”, said Pr Didier Betbeder, CEO of Vaxinano.
Since produced with no additional adjuvants, the vaccine has no toxicity and can be adapted for use in humans. Vaxinano is now ready to open up into the human market.
Didier Betbeder
CEO & CSO of Vaxinano
