Today, a German news site published a report on potentially upcoming Phase 2/3 trials for the new HPI drugs ABI-5366 and ABI-1179. The report also mentions a potential launch in 2029.
https://www.sharedeals.de/gileads-naechste-milliardenwette-rueckt-naeher-nach-hiv-jetzt-hsv/
Article Source EUREKALERT.ORG
Funding supports an innovative ‘Prime/Pull/Keep’ strategy to achieve long-lasting protection against HSV-2
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - IRVINE
University of California, Irvine immunologist Lbachir BenMohamed has been awarded a $3.93 million National Institutes of Health grant to develop and test a novel therapeutic vaccine designed to prevent recurrent genital herpes, a lifelong viral infection that affects more than 60 million Americans and over 530 million people worldwide.
The five-year R01 NIH award will support research on a next-generation vaccine strategy that could provide long-lasting protection against recurrent outbreaks of herpes simplex virus type 2, the leading cause of genital herpes. The project, titled “A Novel Prime/Pull/Keep Vaccine to Prevent Recurrent Genital Herpes,” builds on years of research conducted by BenMohamed and his collaborators.
“Despite decades of research, people living with recurrent genital herpes still have no therapeutic vaccine option,” said BenMohamed, professor of immunology and director of the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology in the UC Irvine School of Medicine. “This award allows us to advance an innovative immune-based strategy that not only boosts protective T cells but directs them to the tissues where the virus hides and reactivates*.*”
“Our goal is to develop a safe and durable therapeutic vaccine that can reduce recurrent disease, limit transmission, and ultimately improve the lives of millions of people worldwide,” he added.
Unlike traditional vaccine approaches that primarily stimulate antibody responses, the new strategy is designed to strengthen and sustain specialized immune cells known as tissue-resident memory T cells at the sites where HSV-2 establishes lifelong infection. The vaccine’s “Prime/Pull/Keep” approach works by first priming protective immune cells, then directing them to infected tissues, and finally maintaining them there to provide long-term immune surveillance.
BenMohamed’s team has already generated promising preclinical results. Previous studies demonstrated that therapeutic mRNA vaccine candidates reduced recurrent genital herpes in animal models and boosted protective immune responses in tissues where the virus establishes lifelong infection. Additional research showed that targeted immune-signaling molecules could recruit and maintain protective T cells in those tissues, further improving protection.
The new NIH-funded project will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Prime/Pull/Keep vaccine candidates in preclinical models and investigate how increasing the number, function, and longevity of tissue-resident immune cells correlates with protection against recurrent disease.
“Results from the preclinical studies of the Prime/Pull/Keep vaccine candidates will identify the best candidate vaccine, paving the way for future clinical trials*,*” said BenMohamed. “This will bring us closer to a long-sought therapeutic vaccine capable of reducing recurrent outbreaks and limiting transmission of HSV-2. The project aligns with NIH priorities to develop new therapeutic strategies for genital herpes.”
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation, and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224-degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.
Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus studio with a Comtrex IP audio codec to interview UC Irvine faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UC Irvine news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at https://news.uci.edu/media-resources/. “
Sign the freaking petition for Pete's sake. I'm so tired of suffering with this. I'm exhausted. I know you are too.
Hello Everyone,
Please feel free to post any comments and talk about anything you want on this thread--relating to HSV or otherwise.
Have a nice weekend.
- Mod Team
In a Nutshell
A viral protein called mgG-2, long dismissed as unimportant, turns out to help HSV-2 escape infected cells and spread toward the nervous system in mice.
A vaccine made from that same protein protected 93.7 percent of mice from a lethal dose of the virus and sharply cut its spread into nerve and spinal-cord tissue.
The protein’s natural sugar coating is what makes it work: stripping away both main sugar groups dropped survival to 43.8 percent.
Hello Everyone,
Please feel free to post any comments and talk about anything you want on this thread--relating to HSV or otherwise.
Have a nice weekend.
- Mod Team