Edinburgh: Researchers develop new cattle vaccine delivery system

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have developed a flexible protein delivery system for vaccinating cattle against pathogens and cattle-borne zoonoses. The system provides long term immune protection without adverse consequences on productivity or health.

Edinburgh's delivery system potentially avoids the disadvantages attached to current subunit vaccines (eg low levels of immunogenicity, need to use strong adjuvants and a requirement for repeat dosing to ensure adequate protection levels).

The technology is based on an engineered version of a parasite which naturally infects cattle. This organism is maintained systemically, is non-pathogenic and generates no ill effects on the health or productivity of the infected cow.

These features make it an ideal protein delivery system, able to stimulate an immune response to expressed antigens or to systemically produce therapeutic agents of benefit to bovine health or productivity.

This system could also be used to deliver therapeutic proteins or health promoting factors systemically in cattle.

Key Benefits

• Flexible system with potential to express a cocktail of antigens to target multiple pathogens
• Long term immune protection without adverse consequences on productivity or health
• Potential to deliver therapeutic protein systemically in cattle
• Ability to administer orally

Applications

• Vaccination against bovine diseases
• Delivery of therapeutic proteins to treat bovine diseases, e.g. delivery of an anti-microbial protein
• Delivery of hormones or growth factors to enhance health or productivity of cattle

IP Status

• A US and EP priority patent protecting this technology has been filed (July 2010).
• The University of Edinburgh is seeking to license this technology and/or collaborate with a company to further develop it.