GenVec Inc (fka GNVC)

[Teliz2009]

A Safer, Better Vaccine
Another important FMD development
from PIADC is the world’s first effective
molecular-based FMD vaccine for cattle,
developed by chemist Marvin Grubman
and colleagues. The vaccine can be produced
without using infectious FMD
materials, which means it can be produced
safely, in the United States, without
expensive, high-containment facilities.
Another benefit is that animals
vaccinated with Grubman’s vaccine don’t
produce all the antibodies that infected
animals produce. Because of this, they
can easily be distinguished. Most existing
vaccines cause animals to produce the
same antibodies as infected animals,
making it difficult to determine whether
an animal with antibodies was naturally
infected or vaccinated.
ARS—in collaboration with the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security’s Targeted
Advanced Development unit and
GenVec, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company
based in Gaithersburg, Maryland—is
developing this technology for potential
commercialization.
Tests have shown that the vaccine becomes
effective a mere 7 days after it’s
been administered. Although this is one
of the fastest vaccines available, Grubman
and his colleagues wanted faster
protection. After all, a lot can happen in
7 days, particularly during an outbreak.
In a recent study, Grubman found that
interferons—proteins produced by the immune
system—can offer protection during
that first week.
Interferons are so named because they
interfere with virus replication. Grubman
and his colleagues introduced type I and
type II interferon genes into an adenovirus,
which they administered to groups
of pigs. One day later, they infected the
swine with FMD virus. The interferons
blocked FMD virus replication, offering
the swine protection.
“The interferon gives early protection
for 3 to 5 days while the animals are
developing an antibody response to
the vaccine,” Grubman says. “This
significantly increases their chances of
resisting FMD.”
ARS and GenVec are now collaborating
to combine the interferons and the FMD
vaccine so they can be administered
together

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/apr09/disease0409.pdf