Our company is dedicated to providing quality services in the development of DNA vaccines, which in themselves come with a plethora of advantages compared to traditional vaccines. Our objective is to assist you in contributing towards the betterment of the global healthcare system by equipping you with cutting edge facilities and resources that allow you to utilize the full range of possibilities provided by DNA vaccines.
DNA Vaccines and Immune Mechanisms
DNA vaccines are a groundbreaking development in vaccination technology that have the potential to combat a range of infectious diseases. This vaccine entails the transfection of specific DNA encoding antigens in order to stimulate an immune response in target cells of an organism.
How Do DNA Vaccines Work?
Once inoculated, the plasmid DNA integrates with the host cells and gets absorbed readily by the nucleus. Within the cell nucleus, transcription of the integrated DNA is performed to produce mRNA which gets translated into antigenic proteins. Once the antigen proteins are presented to immune cells, they trigger an immune response, activating various immune cells and generating antigen-specific antibodies.
Fig. 1 A scheme for the mechanisms of immune activation by DNA vaccines. (Huang T, et al., 2022)
Delivery Methods of DNA Vaccines
DNA vaccination can be done by multiple routes such as; intranasal delivery, oral delivery, a gene gun, electroporation, intradermal or intramuscular injection. The following discusses intranasal or oral delivery, a gene gun, and electroporation.
Electroporation
Electroporation is a method which facilitates the administration of DNA vaccines within cells by creating pores in the membrane of the cells. Once the DNA vaccine is placed in the target area, the electric pulse is provided to the tissue to enhance the permeability of the cell membranes.
Gene Gun
Using compressed gas, gold or tungsten particles that have a DNA vaccine coating are propelled into tissue or a growth. The targeted tissue cells are able to seal and coat the particles which then allows for the particles to enter the cells. This method is ideal for direct targeting onto skin surfaces and mucosal tissues for the delivery of DNA vaccines.
Oral or Intranasal Administration
Vaccines can be delivered orally by drinking them or swallowing a capsule, for instance, while intranasal vaccines can be given using a nasal spray or some drops. These methods aim at immune cells located in the mucosal layers of the gastrointestinal tract and the respiratory tract.
Challenges in DNA Vaccine Development
The development of DNA vaccines faces several challenges that researchers and scientists strive to overcome. These challenges include:
- Delivery Efficiency
To facilitate successful transcription and translation of the immune protein, the DNA has to be transported into the nucleus of the target cells. Improving the efficacy of delivery continues to be a challenge in developing DNA vaccines.
- Immunogenicity
Compared to other forms of vaccination, DNA vaccines usually contain lower immunogenic potential. This may be caused by a number of reasons, which include poor antigen targeting, weak and inefficient expression of the antigen and inefficient immune system activation.
- Stability and Storage
DNA vaccines are prone to being destroyed, notably by nucleases that are found in body fluids. It is very important to guarantee that the DNA vaccines are stable when they are kept and moved.
- Manufacturing and Scale-up
DNA vaccines have a long and complex route right from the initial development to its approval for marketing. These procedures can often lead to high investments hence the manufacturing processes developed should be such that they are cost effective and efficient while still making sure the products being developed are of consistent quality.
Our Services
Our corporation is focused on building world-class service offerings to facilitate the rapid development and commercialization of DNA vaccines. This kind of vaccine will transform the landscape of prevention of infectious diseases and we completely believe that it has a very high potential.
DNA Vaccine Development Process
Antigen Selection
This is accomplished by examining the pathogen biology as well as performing genetic sequence analysis in order to help identify likely antigens targeted by DNA vaccines.
DNA Design
Following this step, the DNA sequence that encodes the selected antigen is designed and synthesized.
Plasmid DNA Construction
The constructed DNA sequence is cloned into a plasmid vector that acts as a vehicle for the use of the DNA vaccine.
Formulation Development
This entails the incorporation of adjuvants and modification of the components to enhance the immune response and the vaccine's stability.
Delivery System Development
Our researchers are very good at investigating diverse delivery mechanisms like viral vectors, lipid nanoparticles or other non-viral systems and ensuring that DNA vaccines are effectively taken up and expressed by target cells.
Applicable Infectious Disease Types
- Influenza
- Zika Virus
- Dengue Fever
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
- Malaria
- Tuberculosis
- Hepatitis B
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- And More
We are committed to advancing the frontiers of DNA vaccine development. For further information and cost estimates of the services, do not hesitate to reach out to us.
References
- Huang T, Liu L, Lv Z, et al. Recent advances in DNA vaccines against lung cancer: A mini review[J]. Vaccines, 2022, 10(10): 1586.
- Lim M, Badruddoza A Z M, Firdous J, et al. Engineered nanodelivery systems to improve DNA vaccine technologies[J]. Pharmaceutics, 2020, 12(1): 30.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use
only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
