Trachoma is a forgotten or ignored tropical disease; it is caused by infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, in the form of conjunctival strains. At our company, we are committed to responding to this disease through vaccine and therapy formulation development and improving on the R&D productivity within the international pharmaceutical industries.
Introduction to Trachoma
Trachoma is still regarded as one of the foremost preventable causes of blindness worldwide. This chronic eye infection is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and is widely spread in sub-saharan Africa. The disease's advancement becomes rampant in poverty-stricken areas due to a lack of proper hygiene. In total, trachoma has three stages, the disease always starts with persistent conjunctivitis and later evolves into blindness due to scarring of the eyelid in addition to inward turning of the eyelashes.
Fig.1 Tissue changes in trachoma. (Solomon A. W., et al., 2022)
Vaccine Development for Trachoma
Subunit Vaccines
In the case of trachoma, the aim is for the subunit vaccine development to be directed toward proteins like the Major Outer Membrane Protein (MOMP) and Polymorphic Membrane Protein G (PMPG). These proteins have been shown to have potential in inducing both antibody and cell-mediated immune responses in the organism.
DNA Vaccines
With the help of plasmid DNA which contains the antigens for Chlamydia trachomatis, it is possible to create heavy duty DNA vaccines. The most notable feature of DNA vaccines is that are easy to make and have the capacity to provide a lifelong level of immunity.
Live-Attenuated Vaccines
Despite being rarer because of safety issues, live-attenuated vaccines utilize a weakened version of the disease-causing agent. They can confer immunity that lasts for several years, and though they could be useful for trachoma, it is challenging due to the intricate biology of Chlamydia trachomatis.
Therapeutics Development for Trachoma
The primary therapeutics for trachoma is systemic and topical antibiotics which include tetracycline and azithromycin. Azithromycin in mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns has been said to significantly reduce the frequency of active trachoma cases. Because trachoma is chronic and inflammatory-based, treatments that alter the immune response are being researched. These consist of anti-inflammatory drugs and biologics directed at particular immune pathways implicated in the trachoma pathogenetic process.
Please click on the link below to learn about our one-stop therapy development solutions for you.
Our Services
As our company has accumulated broad experience, we go further to advance the development of efficient trachoma vaccines as well as powerful therapies. Our experienced experts use the most contemporary technologies and methods to provide unique solutions which underpins the progress of trachoma therapeutics and vaccines.
Infectious Disease Models
- Chronic Cicatrizing Trachoma Models
- Chronic Follicular Conjunctivitis Models
- Guinea Pig Inclusion Conjunctivitis (GPIC) Models
- Nonhuman Primate Subcutaneous Pocket Models
Among our preclinical research services, we also include the preclinical evaluation of candidate vaccines and drugs in vitro and large animal models. With the help of advanced technologies, we evaluate these candidates' safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy and, as a result, provide valuable data to guide further development. Should you wish to inquire about our services, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
References
- Solomon Anthony W., et al. "Trachoma." Nature Reviews Disease Primers 8.1 (2022): 32.
- Ezediuno, Louis O., et al. "Designing multi-epitope subunit vaccine for ocular trachoma infection using chlamydia trachomatis polymorphic membrane proteins G." Informatics in Medicine Unlocked 26 (2021): 100764.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use
only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
