Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection remains as one of the leading causes of infection, especially for the babies, the elderly and those with weaker immunities. While RSV impact people of all ages, there is a greater propensity of contracts among older, very young and immunocompromised individuals .Our organization provides an extensive array of services tailored to bolster the advancement of RSV vaccines and therapeutic solutions.
Overview of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV),generally known as hRSV or human orthopneumovirus, is a member of the Paramyxoviridae family and a single-stranded RNA much of the world’s population is affected by it. It is a contagious ailment that is predominantly respiratory and can affect people with infants and children to the elderly suffering from Bronchiolitis pneumonia. The morbidity and mortality rates are relatively higher in the RSV vulnerable populations which is during the cold winters. Because of the season the RSV peak is triggered during winter months.
Fig.1 Schematic representation of RSV binding and entry into host cells. (Griffiths C., et al., 2017)
Vaccine Development for Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
Subunit Vaccines
Subunit vaccines operate on the principle of the utilization of viral antigen that procure post injury immune responses from the victim. A case in point is the stabilized prefusion RSV-F proteins that elicit immune responses from the humans and posses a therapeutic response. A remarkable instance is the RSV-F nanoparticle vaccine that has advanced to phase II clinical trial by Novavax.
Nucleic Acid Vaccines
There has already been a lot of development in nucleic acid vaccines, including mRNA vaccines, in the last few years. In this case, a piece of non-infectious genetic material that encodes an RSV antigen is introduced, and that stimulates an immune response. Companies like Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech are already working on and developing mRNA vaccine platforms for RSV.
Therapeutics Development for Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
- Monoclonal Antibodies
Monoclonal antibodies provide one of the most sensible and efficient ways of targeting and managing RSV therapeutics and prevention. Palivizumab (Synagis) is a humanized monoclonal antibody against the RSV F protein which is granted a license for prevention of RSV in children at high risk. However, the appearance of strains which are resistant emphasizes the need of constant monitoring and newer antibodies development.
- Antivirals
Preclinical studies indicate positive outcome of small-molecule antivirals against RSV replication. Clinical trials have proven that ALS-008176, an analog nucleoside, drastically diminishes RSV viral load. Nevertheless, adverse safety effects and drug resistance warrants further attention and development.
- Host-Directed Therapies
Focuses on how one can manipulate the immune response in the Host in control of RSV infection. This strategy employs flavonoids to modulate inflammation and to increase viral clearance coupled with decreased pathology.
Our Services
We focus on the design, development, and testing of new RSV vaccines, as well as utilizing new technologies and platforms such as subunit, live-attenuated, and nucleic acid-based vaccines.
Furthermore, we provide services in the development of therapeutics that involves the discovery and design of small molecules, and biologics and host-directed therapies. In this area, we concentrate of safety, efficacy and potential for resistance development.
Preclinical Research
- Pharmacodynamics Study Services
- Pharmacokinetics Study Services
- Drug Safety Evaluation Services
Disease Models
- hRSV Infection Models
- hRSV A2 Infection Models
- hRSV M37 Infection Models
- Macaque-adapted hRSV Infection Models
- Clinical Isolate hRSV Infection Models
Our researchers have established robust in vitro and in vivo models of RSV infection, allowing for the rigorous evaluation of candidate vaccines and therapies in clinically relevant settings. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.
References
- Griffiths Cameron, Steven J. Drews, and David J. Marchant. "Respiratory syncytial virus: infection, detection, and new options for prevention and treatment." Clinical microbiology reviews 30.1 (2017): 277-319.
- Barr, Rachael, et al. "Respiratory syncytial virus: diagnosis, prevention and management." Therapeutic advances in infectious disease 6 (2019): 2049936119865798.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use
only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
