We are delighted to announce the selection of ten early-stage TB vaccine candidates for participation in a head-to-head testing programme. The selection follows a call as part of the TBVAC-HORIZON project inviting vaccine researchers to submit their candidates for evaluation in both mouse and guinea pig models.
The selected candidates were assessed by the independent Portfolio Advisory Committee based on predefined scientific and technical criteria. In the coming months, the selected candidate vaccines will be evaluated in 3 different aerosol infection models for their ability to reduce bacterial load (CFU) following vaccination and pulmonary challenge with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) or in a TB meningitis mouse model investigating vaccine efficacy against extrapulmonary dissemination.
It is encouraging to have received a large number of innovative early-stage vaccine candidates submitted for consideration: candidates from 19 different applicants from 16 different countries, with each continent represented. This high level of interest stimulates the innovation and diversification of the global TB vaccine development pipeline.
By initiating these comparative studies, TBVAC-HORIZON aims to accelerate the development of new early-stage vaccine candidates and contribute to advancing more effective TB vaccines worldwide.
The following candidates have been selected:
- Hsp16.3deltaC4 + DDA + PIC (Techinvention Lifecare Ltd, India)
- REA + MPL +DDA (Chungnam National University, Myco-Rapha, South Korea)
- BAd-TRV (Purdue and Houston Methodologist, USA)
- LYB007 (Guangzhou Patronus Biotechnology Co., Ltd., China)
- BCG::ESX-1Mmar-markerfree (Institute Pasteur, France)
- MVs derived from BCG Tokyo I + MVs derived from flagella-deficient E. coli Nissle 1917 (NIID, Japan)
- MTBVAC for oral administration (Unizar, Spain)
- Tri:ChAd:TB (McMaster, Canada)
- BCG delta BCG1419c (Ciatej, Mexico)
- rBCG-LTAK63 (Instituto Butantan, Brasil)
TBVAC-HORIZON receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101080309. It is funded by the European Union, the UK Research and Innovation, and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA). Neither the European Union, UKRI, SERI, nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.