A very promising vaccine against hantavirus is being developed by researchers at the University of Bath. The team is led by Professor Asel Saltbaeva, a chemistry researcher at the university and co-founder of the university spin-out company Encilitec.
This will be a completely new vaccine. To date, it has been tested in both laboratory and animal models with excellent immune responses. The research team expects to advance to Phase 1 human clinical trials in the near future.
There is currently no effective vaccine against hantaviruses, leaving large populations in Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America vulnerable to the disease, which is caused and transmitted by rodents. Our team has developed a new antigen for Hantaan disease from the hantavirus group. This is a completely new vaccine that is currently being tested in the lab and in animal models, showing excellent immune responses. Although much more work needs to be done (clinical trials and approval) to make this vaccine available to the public, this is a very promising development for a completely new and needed vaccine. ”
Asel Sartbayeva, Professor, University of Bath
The vaccine is being developed using both mRNA technology and ‘Ensilication’®, an innovative patented technology developed by Professor Sartobaeva’s laboratory at the University of Bath. This technology stabilizes vaccines and other biological materials by encasing the active ingredients (proteins) in a protective silica cage. This allows the vaccine to remain stable at ambient temperature without the need for refrigeration.
Currently, most vaccines require rigorous and often extreme refrigeration, making their transport and storage dependent on expensive and energy-intensive “cold chain” systems. Failures in this system result in compromised stocks, costing the pharmaceutical industry an estimated £35bn a year. In developing countries, up to 50% of vaccines are wasted due to cold chain failures, leaving millions without access to critical treatments, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports.
Ensilication’s mission is to ensure that lifesaving vaccines and other medicines reach everyone, everywhere, regardless of infrastructure or geography.
Professor Saltbayeva has been at the forefront of the field of vaccine development for many years and has been recognized for her contributions to the fight against COVID-19, her work on thermostabilizing vaccines, and vaccine advocacy.
She is a UNICEF Girls in Science Ambassador and a recipient of the prestigious Precedent Award in her home country of Kyrgyzstan. The award recognizes her contributions to the fight against COVID-19, her scientific research into heat stabilizing vaccines, and her public work on children’s vaccination programs and the pandemic.
