Academic expertise will help advance candidates targeting HPV-related cancers.

MediGene is teaming up with HPV researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore to further develop its AAVLP vaccine candidates for preventing HPV-associated cancers. The Johns Hopkins team is headed by Richard B. S. Roden, Ph.D., professor of gynecology/obstetrics and oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

MediGene’s  preclinical-stage AAVLP program aims to harness antigenic adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors as vaccines. The firm claims the AAV capsid protein shell is ideal for the production of virus-like particles (VLP) that can be used as the basis for vaccines carrying antigenic peptides. The approach involves inserting short B-cell epitopes into the viral capsid, and administering the construct as a vaccine to trigger highly specific antibody-mediated reactions.

The AAVLP program is initially being developed to generate potential vaccines for the treatment of cancer and viral infections. MediGene is looking into the potential to use AAV libraries for the systematic identification of suitable vaccine candidates. It says it may also be possible to transfer existing therapeutic antibodies directly into an AAVLP vaccine.

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