Tetanus is a serious neurological disease caused by the neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. Our organization renders a comprehensive scope of services that includes the whole chain of vaccine and therapeutic development, starting from the development of the diagnostics to the conduct of the preclinical trials.
Introduction to Tetanus
Tetanus is a severe and dangerous disease which can prove to be fatal. It is caused by the bacteria known as Clostridium tetani. The disease is characterized for having severe effects on the nervous system and as a result causing a person to have tightness in the muscles and having painful muscle spasms. However, the risks of this condition progressing further or leading upto a person's death is a possibility. In order to transfer this disease to another individual, one has to make contact with spores present in the environment which, in most of the cases, are contaminated with soil of fecal matter and cause a person to develop an open wound. It is important to note that this condition is not contagious.
Fig.1 Fabrication of microneedle patches (MNPs) with tetanus toxoid. (Esser E. S., et al., 2016)
Vaccine Development for Tetanus
Initial tetanus vaccines were developed using inactivated forms of the toxin produced by the bacteria. The first vaccines were whole-cell vaccines, which provided robust immune responses but were associated with a higher rate of adverse effects.
Modern tetanus vaccines have evolved to include:
- Tetanus Toxoid (TT): TT serves an important purpose as this immune response activating form of the toxin is purified and then inactivated so that disease spread is avoided.
- Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids (DT): Use of DT can combat both diphtheria and tetanus due to being a combined vaccine.
- Tetanus Toxoid and Diphtheria Toxoid (Td): These vaccines are intended primarily for older children and adults for the reason that they reinforce the immunity for diphtheria and tetanus.
- Tetanus Toxoid, Diphtheria Toxoid, and Pertussis Vaccine (Tdap): Women who are pregnant or tend to be in close contact with spreads infants are strongly recommended to take this combination vaccine and protect the child from neonatal tetanus by combatting all three diseases simultaneously.
Therapeutics Development for Tetanus
Antitoxin Therapy
Tetanus is treated with the use of tetanus immune globulin (TIG) which is a passive immunization through high levels of anti-tetanus antibodies, thus providing instant protection, although only for a short period.
Antibiotic Therapy
Considering that anaerobic infections are stemmed from the central nervous system and are prone to developing anaerobic bacteria, metronidazole becomes the ideal antidote for tetanus. It does appear penicillin can be used cautiously though as it could potentially cause spasms.
Our Services
Through our extensive R&D capabilities, we aim to provide global pharmaceutical companies with one-stop tetanus vaccine and therapy development solutions, making a significant contribution to the global fight against tetanus.
- Mouse/Guinea Pig Models: varying doses of tetanus toxoid (TT)
- Sprague-Dawley Rats: microparticles encapsulating TT prepared from polylactide-co-glycolide polymers
Our preclinical research services are designed to rigorously evaluate vaccine candidates and therapeutic products before they enter clinical trials. This phase includes in vitro studies to assess immunogenicity and safety, as well as in vivo testing in animal models to evaluate efficacy and pharmacokinetics. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.
References
- Esser, E. Stein, et al. "Tetanus vaccination with a dissolving microneedle patch confers protective immune responses in pregnancy." Journal of Controlled Release 236 (2016): 47-56.
- BORELLA-VENTURINI, Matteo, et al. "Tetanus vaccination, antibody persistence and decennial booster: a serosurvey of university students and at-risk workers." Epidemiology & Infection 145.9 (2017): 1757-1762.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use
only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
