Chlamydia Vaccine Research
Development of a vaccine against Chlamydia is an international priority, but the complex lifestyle of the pathogen makes vaccine development challenging. SSI has developed a unique vaccine strategy to combat this challenging infection.
Why do we need a vaccine?
Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial disease in the world. Chlamydia is primarily a disease in young adults after their sexual debut with more than 131 million people infected each year. Infections often go undiagnosed, as they remain asymptomatic in 75% of women and 50% of men. Many countries focus on case management through screening and targeted treatment in risk populations, a strategy that, until now, has not reduced incidence rates. Untreated infections in women increase the risk of developing severe complications, leading to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and long-term sequelae such as infertility and ectopic pregnancy. Thus, there is a great need to develop a vaccine against Chlamydia.
Chlamydia trachomatis - a pathogen with a complex lifestyle
Chlamydia is caused by an infection with the bacteria C. trachomatis. The bacteria is very much like a virus, meaning it relies totally on its host to survive and replicate. C. trachomatis has two developmental forms: a small (0.3 microns) non-replicating infectious form which, after attachment, is internalized into the host cell and instantly reorganized into a metabolically active and replicating form of almost triple the size. After completion of a replicative cycle, it reorganizes into the infectious form again and is released from the host cell. If the bacteria is not controlled by the immune system, it may ascend to infect the fallopian tubes and can cause major damage leading to pelvic inflammatory disease, scarring and occlusion.
Chlamydia vaccine research at the SSI
At SSI, our strategy is to develop a vaccine that targets the bacterium very early, i.e. immediately after it enters the genital tract. We envision a vaccine that elicits both cell-mediated and humoral immunity; a primary role of neutralizing antibodies to reduce initial infectious load and once the bacteria are intracellular, they will be targeted by a bactericidal cell-mediated immune response. We have completed an extensive discovery program in the search for vaccine candidates and are continuously studying the immunological mechanism underlying protection from both infection and disease. SSI's vaccine candidate (CTH522) has completed clinical phase Ia and Ib clinical testing Lancet Infect Dis and Research Square.
Research projects
VacPath
Pioneer Th17 T cells
Specific Th17/exTh17 T cell subsets
Contact
Frank Follmann,
Director, MSc, PhD,
Infektionsimmunologi
T. +45 32688296
@. frf@ssi.dk
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