Haemophilus influenzae (H. influenzae) is a bacteria that is health threatening with an adverse impact especially among infants, young children and immunocompromised patients. We are a leading firm engaged in the development of H. influenzae vaccines and therapies pushing our focus to the effort in combating such a persistent and evolutionary pathogen.
Overview of Haemophilus Influenzae Infection
H. influenzae is considered one of the foremost humanitarian bacterial pathogens that can cause a cluster of diseases which tends to be invasive. These range from ear infection, conjunctivitis, sinusitis, and epiglottitis and can be as severe as causing meningitis. It is a non-motile, gram negative, coccobacillary bacterium.
H. influenzae infections continue to persist globally despite the availability of antibiotics, and with new virulent strains emerging this has become a major issue. Vaccine coverage of infants has provided great in terms of lower ear infections but has not affected the global stats significantly. An estimate puts H. influenzae infections at around 700 million cases per year for throat infections with around 1.8 million of severe lung infections.
Fig.1 Host-pathogen interactions of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi). (Duell B. L., et al., 2016)
Vaccine Development for Haemophilus Influenzae Infection
Scientific Basis for Vaccine Development
In the realm of public health, the development of vaccines directed towards H. influenzae has been of utmost importance. Characteristically, the most concerning invasive type of H. influenzae was H. influenzae serotype b (Hib) so the target has been focused on Hib. Since the introduction of Hib vaccine in the early nineties, the occurrence of such diseases has been drastically diminished in the vaccinated groups.
Challenges in Vaccine Development
While the Hib vaccine has achieved remarkable progress, there are still hurdles to overcome. This vaccine lacks the ability to confer cross-protection to non-b serotypes of H. influenzae which are also capable of initiating an invasive diseases. Moreover, availability of the Hib vaccine in third world countries is sparse since its price is considerably higher than the ordinary infant immunization vaccines which then results in low global immunization coverage.
Therapeutics Development for Haemophilus Influenzae Infection
Antibiotic Therapeutics
Amikacin and Tobramycin came into medical use in the early 1970s and were the first form of the treatment in conjunction with antibiotics. Studies reveal that tobramycin- and amikacin-resistance has started to develop amongst H. influenzae indicating that new strategies incorporated to overcome that complication.
Empiric and Adjunctive Therapeutics
Cultural and sensitivity tests guide the selection of third-generation cephalosporins for empiric therapy. In instances of meningitis, antibiotics and adjunctive treatments are combined to avoid complications such as cerebral edema, with dexamethasone being one of the adjunctive treatments.
Our Services
We take pride in our innovative solutions that allows our clients to develop novel H. influenzae vaccines and therapeutics together with a comprehensive range of services. The projects of our clients are synthesized through top tier technologies and cutting edge knowledge by our team of expert scientists, immunologists, and pharmacologists.
- Mouse Models for Short-term Pulmonary Clearance
- Rat Models for Short-term Pulmonary Clearance
- Rat Models for Long-term Pulmonary Infection
- Customized Animal Models
Focusing on the H. influenzae therapy development, our laboratory works particularly in antimicrobial drug discovery including small molecule antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides and biologics aimed against virulence factors. Furthermore, we offer additional services to assist in the assessment, optimization and advancement of your drug candidate portfolio. Should you be interested in our offerings, we are happy to answer your questions and provide you with a quote for the services that you need.
Reference
- Duell, Benjamin Luke, Yu‐Ching Su, and Kristian Riesbeck. "Host–pathogen interactions of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae: from commensal to pathogen." FEBS letters 590.21 (2016): 3840-3853.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use
only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
