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International Journal of HIV and AIDS research
Page 8
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Notes:
International Conference on
September 21-22, 2017 San Antonio, TX, USA
&
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, AIDS and Parasitic Infections
Parasitology, Infectious Diseases, STDs and STIs
John Howard
Applied Biotechnology Institute Inc., USA
Orally delivered subunit vaccines: A tool to increase the immune response for
sexually transmitted diseases while eliminating the cold chain and lowering the cost of
immunizations
An orally delivered and heat-stable subunit vaccine can eliminate the cold chain, needles and skilled personnel
to deliver the injections. This can lead to a low-cost, convenient method of immunization with higher
compliance and a reduction, if not elimination, of disease. Many approaches have shown proof-of-principle yet
an oral vaccine has remained an elusive goal due to many practical problems that hamper commercialization.
These include a subpar immune response, the need for high levels of antigen to overcome the natural digestion
process and the inability to scale-up and stockpile antigens due to instability at ambient temperatures. We have
developed a platform that can overcome these barriers by first accumulating the antigen in maize grain orders-of-
magnitude higher than reported in other systems. Next, novel methods for processing using a supercritical fluid
extractor (SFE) further enhanced the immune response and impart greater heat stability. The resultant material
is then formulated into tablets with a precise dosage suitable for oral delivery. Using hepatitis B surface antigen
(HBsAg) as the lead candidate, a robust immune response has been demonstrated in sera as well as tissues that
do not respond to the parenterally administered antigen. This includes mucosal tissues that can be the first line of
defense for many diseases. This includes a strong mucosal response observed in the urogenital tissues which may
provide greater protection for sexually transmitted pathogens. In addition to the lead candidate, other vaccine
candidates will be discussed that demonstrate the breadth of the platform including the potential to use this
technology for HIV/AIDS. This provides a new tool for increased efficacy, lower cost, cold chain-independence
and a more convenient vaccine.
Biography
John Howard has completed his PhD in Biochemistry at the University of California at Riverside. He went on to establish and lead a biotechnology group at two
Fortune 500 companies and later founded a start-up biotechnology company. For the past 10+ years, he has been the President of ABI, a biotechnology company
focused on developing novel products for human and animal health products. He is the author or inventor of more than 150 papers.