A Study To Investigate Alternative Regimens For Pneumococcal Vaccination Of Infants In A Developing Country
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,622,210.00
Summary
Streptococcus pneumoniae (Pnc) is the leading vaccine preventable cause of serious infection in infants. The current Pnc conjugate vaccine is very expensive (approximately USD $200-infant) so it is unlikely to be affordable for most developing countries. Moreover, as health care access in developing countries may be episodic and unreliable, many children do not receive either complete or timely vaccine courses. Therefore, it is important to investigate affordable and flexible ways to deliver thi ....Streptococcus pneumoniae (Pnc) is the leading vaccine preventable cause of serious infection in infants. The current Pnc conjugate vaccine is very expensive (approximately USD $200-infant) so it is unlikely to be affordable for most developing countries. Moreover, as health care access in developing countries may be episodic and unreliable, many children do not receive either complete or timely vaccine courses. Therefore, it is important to investigate affordable and flexible ways to deliver this vaccine, which are safe and effective. A recent WHO-GAVI meeting to address impediments to the introduction of these vaccines in developing countries recognized the need to evaluate other regimens of Pnc conjugate vaccine as an important research priority. This study has been deliberately formulated with that need in mind. The site for this research is Fiji. Although health services are good, Pnc disease, particularly pneumonia, remains the commonest cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. Fiji has good vaccine coverage and was the first Pacific country to introduce Hib vaccine. The arrival of the new, expensive Pnc conjugate vaccine presents a dilemma for Fiji and many similar countries. The expense of this vaccine would consume a large portion of the health budget. This study has two components: 1. A Phase 2 immunogenicity study (involving 750 infants) to evaluate regimens using reduced numbers of doses of Pnc conjugate vaccine, and using timing of dosing and combinations with the Pnc polysaccharide (PS) vaccine that may be more suited to the epidemiology of Pnc disease in developing countries. 2. An epidemiological study will measure the burden of invasive Pnc disease and pneumonia in Fiji. This will be part of a global effort to address these issues, and will be used to develop rapid assessment tools for these diseases in developing countries. We will seek cofounding for this component.Read moreRead less
Development Of A Safe Live Genetically Attenuated Blood Stage Malaria Vaccine
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$822,191.00
Summary
Malaria presents an enormous global health problem, and also has a significant impact on social and economic development in countries where the disease is endemic. Our project will produce a live genetically-modified vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes the form of malaria mostly deadly to humans. Our development plan will include the first ever clinical trials of a malaria vaccine of this kind and will look at vaccine safety and effectiveness.
Tropical Diseases: Translating Discoveries Into Better Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$19,803,660.00
Summary
Major progress being made in control of many infectious diseases occurring in tropical areas, including malaria worms and the bacteria that causes strep throat. However, currently available tools will not permit their full control or elimination. This program is aimed to improve understanding of these diseases and to develop the much needed tools that will be required for their elimination.
Phase 1 Clinical Trial Of Autologous Dendritic Cells To Induce Antigen-specific Tolerance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$165,125.00
Summary
We have previously generated modified dendritic cells in mice with the ability to suppress immune responses once they have started. This project will develop the dendritic cell vaccine as a platform technology for human clinical use. We aim to demonstrate, in a phase I clinical trial, the capacity of modified human autologous dendritic cells to suppress the immune response to a model antigen in a group of healthy volunteers and a group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis taking drugs for their ....We have previously generated modified dendritic cells in mice with the ability to suppress immune responses once they have started. This project will develop the dendritic cell vaccine as a platform technology for human clinical use. We aim to demonstrate, in a phase I clinical trial, the capacity of modified human autologous dendritic cells to suppress the immune response to a model antigen in a group of healthy volunteers and a group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis taking drugs for their diseaseRead moreRead less
Alternative Pneumococcal Vaccination Schedules For Infants In Fiji And Pneumococcal Epidemiology
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$50,214.00
Summary
The aim of this study is to find a safe and epidemiologically appropriate pneumococcal vaccination strategy for resource poor countries. A single, blind open-label randomized Phase II study is underway in Fiji documenting the safety, immunogenicity and impact on pneumococcal carriage of various pneumococcal vaccination regimens combining 1, 2, or 3 doses of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in infancy followed by a single booster dose of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine.
The growing momentum towards elimination of malaria and the need to control of drug-resistant parasites means that new drugs and vaccines are needed. In this Fellowship I will use the human malaria challenge system that I have developed to test whether new drugs and vaccines for malaria are working sufficiently well to justify their full development. In this system healthy volunteers are deliberately infected with malaria and then cured before they become unwell.
Group A Streptococcal Human Challenge Study: Accelerating Vaccine Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,018,741.00
Summary
Infection with group A streptococcus (GAS) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, including in the Aboriginal population of Australia. Concerted efforts for vaccine development have been hampered by the absence of a suitable animal model. To address this critical knowledge gap we propose to develop a controlled human infection model of GAS infection. This model will provide a direct pathway for the future appraisal of novel GAS vaccines.