ID :
148821
Thu, 11/04/2010 - 21:01
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/148821
The shortlink copeid
MALAYSIA DESIGNS VACCINE AGAINST HFMD
Oleh Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 (Bernama) -- Sentinext Therapeutics Sdn Bhd is actively
developing a vaccine to combat the EV71 virus which causes Hand, Foot and Mouth
Disease (HFMD), a common illness afflicting infants and children.
HFMD virus would cause affected children to develop blister-like eruptions in
the mouth apart from skin rashes. Children who contract HFMD from the EV71 virus
face a higher risk of developing severe neurogical disease which can cause
death.
"In the US and Europe, HFMD is relatively harmless. But the outbreaks in Asia
from 1997 onwards were different. Some cases caused by EV71 showed rapid decline
and led to death.
"There is a need for an effective way to identify and respond to the virus",
Zarifah Hussain Reed, Assistant Director of Clinical Research at the Regional
Emerging Diseases Intervention Centre based in Singapore, told Bernama.
The development of an EV71 vaccine is among Sentinext’s efforts to develop safe
and effective solutions against the virus. To some it may look ambitious, but
Sentinext believes that with support and funding, the mission is achievable.
Sentinext Theurapeutics was established by Peter Wulff and Professor Jane
Cardosa in 2009, with the aim of developing novel vaccines and therapeutics for
infectious tropical disease.
According to Wulff, who is the chief executive officer (CEO) of
Sentinext, the development of solutions for infectious diseases such as malaria,
dengue and HFMD has been woefully inadequate despite the fact that these diseases
affect billions of the world’s population particularly the poor.
"There was just not enough financial incentive for pharmaceutical and biotech
companies to come in", he said.
The state of neglect is however changing gradually with international agencies
and philanthropic organisations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
making funding for infectious tropical diseases a priority, awakening interest
from Western healthcare companies.
"It is good to have more interest in the US and Europe. But we should also take
it upon ourselves to leverage these organisations and develop solutions
especially for diseases prevalent in our region", said Prof Cardosa, chief
scientific officer of Sentinext.
Prof Cardosa has been working on infectious tropical diseases for more than 25
years.
Sentinext’s presence in Malaysia underlines the fact that to develop vaccines
and therapeutics for infectious tropical diseases, it is important to build the
company within the endemic region.
Western countries may have the technology platforms but most of the disease
specialists are here in Asia. The key is striking the right East-West
partnership.
For Wulff and Prof Cardosa, Sentinext is such a partnership.
"In healthcare especially, the research work of Malaysian scientists can be
developed much more effectively by partnering with the commercialization
experience of the US or Europe", Wulff asserted.
Most conventional vaccines comprise weakened or inactivated viruses aimed at
triggering the production of antibodies by the body’s immune system. The safety
of such vaccines has come into question in recent years.
Sentinext is eschewing conventional methods in favour of the more demanding
approach of constructing virus-like particles (VLPs).
"It is scientifically more complex but will result in a safer vaccine", Prof
Cardosa said.
Based on in-depth knowledge of the genetic sequence of the virus, Sentinext is
constructing ‘look-alike’ particles which mimic the shape of the real virus.
These VLPs will trigger the production of the same types of antibodies required to
fight the virus in the case of infection.
"Compared to older methods, this avoids introducing the real virus into the body
which could cause side effects. However, it’s technically very challenging.
Engineering the VLP requires not just good science but out-of-the-box
conceptualization as well as rigorous lab technique. It takes deep knowledge,
creativity and thoroughness", added Wulff.
The company has just completed the making of its first EV71 vaccine
candidate and initial experiments have shown good immune response to the VLP. To
prove safety and efficacy, the vaccine candidate must go to preclinical animal
studies and subsequently human clinical trials.
Sentinext’s investors see the work thus far as extremely encouraging.
"Progress in the lab has been very positive. We are not merely manufacturing a
vaccine but creating a vaccine where there was none before. It’s a huge
difference and we’re excited to see the early results", says Norhalim Yunus, CEO
of Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC), an investor in
Sentinext.
Apart from EV71, Sentinext also plans to start programmes addressing malaria and
Japanese Encephalitis. Sentinext aims to develop a strong pipeline of vaccine or
therapeutic candidates that can then be licensed by or developed in partnership
with the pharmaceutical giants.
"The success of companies like Sentinext is not only important for the Malaysian
biotech landscape but also for Malaysian science.
"The global commercialisation of a Malaysian-designed vaccine would capture the
true spirit of Vision 2020 and the New Economic Model", added Norhalim.
-- BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 (Bernama) -- Sentinext Therapeutics Sdn Bhd is actively
developing a vaccine to combat the EV71 virus which causes Hand, Foot and Mouth
Disease (HFMD), a common illness afflicting infants and children.
HFMD virus would cause affected children to develop blister-like eruptions in
the mouth apart from skin rashes. Children who contract HFMD from the EV71 virus
face a higher risk of developing severe neurogical disease which can cause
death.
"In the US and Europe, HFMD is relatively harmless. But the outbreaks in Asia
from 1997 onwards were different. Some cases caused by EV71 showed rapid decline
and led to death.
"There is a need for an effective way to identify and respond to the virus",
Zarifah Hussain Reed, Assistant Director of Clinical Research at the Regional
Emerging Diseases Intervention Centre based in Singapore, told Bernama.
The development of an EV71 vaccine is among Sentinext’s efforts to develop safe
and effective solutions against the virus. To some it may look ambitious, but
Sentinext believes that with support and funding, the mission is achievable.
Sentinext Theurapeutics was established by Peter Wulff and Professor Jane
Cardosa in 2009, with the aim of developing novel vaccines and therapeutics for
infectious tropical disease.
According to Wulff, who is the chief executive officer (CEO) of
Sentinext, the development of solutions for infectious diseases such as malaria,
dengue and HFMD has been woefully inadequate despite the fact that these diseases
affect billions of the world’s population particularly the poor.
"There was just not enough financial incentive for pharmaceutical and biotech
companies to come in", he said.
The state of neglect is however changing gradually with international agencies
and philanthropic organisations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
making funding for infectious tropical diseases a priority, awakening interest
from Western healthcare companies.
"It is good to have more interest in the US and Europe. But we should also take
it upon ourselves to leverage these organisations and develop solutions
especially for diseases prevalent in our region", said Prof Cardosa, chief
scientific officer of Sentinext.
Prof Cardosa has been working on infectious tropical diseases for more than 25
years.
Sentinext’s presence in Malaysia underlines the fact that to develop vaccines
and therapeutics for infectious tropical diseases, it is important to build the
company within the endemic region.
Western countries may have the technology platforms but most of the disease
specialists are here in Asia. The key is striking the right East-West
partnership.
For Wulff and Prof Cardosa, Sentinext is such a partnership.
"In healthcare especially, the research work of Malaysian scientists can be
developed much more effectively by partnering with the commercialization
experience of the US or Europe", Wulff asserted.
Most conventional vaccines comprise weakened or inactivated viruses aimed at
triggering the production of antibodies by the body’s immune system. The safety
of such vaccines has come into question in recent years.
Sentinext is eschewing conventional methods in favour of the more demanding
approach of constructing virus-like particles (VLPs).
"It is scientifically more complex but will result in a safer vaccine", Prof
Cardosa said.
Based on in-depth knowledge of the genetic sequence of the virus, Sentinext is
constructing ‘look-alike’ particles which mimic the shape of the real virus.
These VLPs will trigger the production of the same types of antibodies required to
fight the virus in the case of infection.
"Compared to older methods, this avoids introducing the real virus into the body
which could cause side effects. However, it’s technically very challenging.
Engineering the VLP requires not just good science but out-of-the-box
conceptualization as well as rigorous lab technique. It takes deep knowledge,
creativity and thoroughness", added Wulff.
The company has just completed the making of its first EV71 vaccine
candidate and initial experiments have shown good immune response to the VLP. To
prove safety and efficacy, the vaccine candidate must go to preclinical animal
studies and subsequently human clinical trials.
Sentinext’s investors see the work thus far as extremely encouraging.
"Progress in the lab has been very positive. We are not merely manufacturing a
vaccine but creating a vaccine where there was none before. It’s a huge
difference and we’re excited to see the early results", says Norhalim Yunus, CEO
of Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC), an investor in
Sentinext.
Apart from EV71, Sentinext also plans to start programmes addressing malaria and
Japanese Encephalitis. Sentinext aims to develop a strong pipeline of vaccine or
therapeutic candidates that can then be licensed by or developed in partnership
with the pharmaceutical giants.
"The success of companies like Sentinext is not only important for the Malaysian
biotech landscape but also for Malaysian science.
"The global commercialisation of a Malaysian-designed vaccine would capture the
true spirit of Vision 2020 and the New Economic Model", added Norhalim.
-- BERNAMA
