Aeras(TM) Developing New Tuberculosis Vaccines for the World
September
Aeras News
2012
In This Issue


» FDA Provides Grant in Support of TB Vaccine Development

» Economics of TB Vaccine Workshop Outlines Research Agenda

» Lancet Study Underscores Growing Drug Resistance, Need for New TB Vaccines to Fight the Global Epidemic

» Grand Challenges: TB Vaccine Accelerator Grant Opportunity


Nanobiotech 1
FDA Provides Grant in Support of TB Vaccine Development

Aeras-led consortium to advance human assay studies
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has awarded Aeras a $299,525 grant to support the discovery of biological and immunological biomarkers for TB vaccines. This funding will be used to continue assessments of a novel mycobacterial growth inhibition assay that could drastically reduce the time and cost of developing new vaccines against tuberculosis. The FDA has already awarded Aeras $553,425 over the past two years for this project, which is being executed in collaboration with researchers at St. Louis University, the University of Oxford, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI).

» read more

TB pic
Economics of TB Vaccine Workshop Outlines Research Agenda

New summary report details meeting outcomes
Thirty of the world's foremost experts in tuberculosis economics, modeling and epidemiology gathered at Aeras headquarters in Rockville, MD, USA July 18-19 to identify and prioritize the key elements of a health economics research agenda for TB vaccines, to identify key factors that drive the public health and economic impact of TB vaccination, and to pinpoint where better information or research would fill critical knowledge gaps to better inform decision makers, investors and donors. The key outcomes include:
  • No single model will adequately address all economic questions.
  • Current epidemiology data and modeling should be used to build base case costs.
  • Modeling challenges will differ by country and region.
Based on these principles, participants outlined the research agenda for the near and long term.

» view the workshop summary report (PDF)

lancet
Lancet Study Underscores Growing Drug Resistance, Need for New TB Vaccines to Fight the Global Epidemic

Results contribute data on prevalence of XDR-TB
A study recently published in The Lancet found that 6.7% of MDR-TB patients in a cohort from eight countries throughout the world met the criteria for XDR-TB designation - with levels ranging from 0.8-15.2% at different sites. Aeras' Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Tom Evans issued a statement detailing how the implications of the study increase the urgency of the global effort to develop effective vaccines against tuberculosis. This statement was featured in major media coverage of the results from this study, including Agence France-Presse (AFP), Reuters, The Scientist, The New York Times and IRIN PlusNews, among others.



Grand Challange
Grand Challenges: TB Vaccine Accelerator Grant Opportunity

Gates Foundation issues request for applications
To strengthen the pipeline of vaccine candidates and enable a more rational and accelerated vaccine development process, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in collaboration with Aeras, recently launched the TB Vaccine Accelerator Program. This Request for Applications focuses on two goals:
  • To develop novel approaches to vaccination against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), with a particular focus on approaches that aim to induce protection against infection with Mtb.
  • To develop models of natural Mtb transmission and methods for defining the relevant molecular and biological characteristics of naturally transmitted mycobacteria and of their interactions with vertebrate hosts.
The deadline for submission of Letters of Inquiry is November 26, 2012.

» view the request for applications and instructions for submitting a letter of inquiry

Press Coverage
9.3.2012
THE GLOBAL POVERTY PROJECT

9.3.2012
THE NEW YORK TIMES

8.30.2012
REUTERS

 
8.29.2012
Kenya: TB increases, vaccine quest gains momentum
AFRICA NEWS  

8.28.2012
South Africa an ideal environment for TB vaccine clinical trials: Q&A with Dr. Hassan Mahomed
LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE & TROPICAL MEDICINE
Events
October
21-24 | Berlin, Germany
World Health Summit

November


8-11 | Cape Town,

South Africa
International African Vaccinology Conference

13-17 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
43rd Union World Conference on Lung Health

December
2-5 | Durban, South Africa
8th Conference of the Federation of African Immunological Societies

Publications
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