Barouch: Novel Vector/Protein Vaccines
OVERVIEW
The development of a safe and effective HIV-1 vaccine is a global health priority. The results of the RV144 study suggest that this is a realistic goal, although the modest protective efficacy observed in that study suggests that more potent vaccine regimens will be required.
Dr. Dan Barouch at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) will oversee the development of novel vector/protein HIV-1 vaccines by combining the vaccine platform technologies of BIDMC and GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (GSK). The combination of BIDMC and GSK vectors, proteins, adjuvants, and expertise will result in a new academic-industry partnership that aims to translate innovative HIV-1 vaccine product concepts into clinical trials.
The goal of the work performed in this grant will define an optimized vector/protein HIV-1 Env vaccine with clinical development potential. Specifically, the grantees hypothesize that priming with a novel chimpanzee or simian adenovirus (Ad) vector and boosting with a stable Env protein formulated in the GSK AS01B Adjuvant System will induce potent and protective Env-specific antibody responses. The researchers will optimize each component of this vaccine regimen systematically in a logical, focused product development program involving a series of nonhuman primate challenge studies.
This grant will define a vector/protein HIV-1 Env vaccine candidate and will manufacture a novel chimpanzee or simian Ad vector for clinical trials in conjunction with an existing protein. The grant will also develop novel mosaic Env immunogens based on bioinformatics and evaluate their immunogenicity in preclinical studies.
This consortium led Dr. Barouch includes researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Children's Hospital, and Los Alamos National Laboratory / New Mexico Consortium.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
1. Selection of the optimal vector component of the vaccine
2. Determination of the optimal vector/protein regimen
3. Development of optimal protein component
4. Process and analytical development, GMP manufacturing, and IND enabling toxicology study