NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Monday, November 11, 2013

A basic agreement has been reached among NIBIO, Aeras and Create Vaccine for joint development of new TB vaccines based on the human parainfluenza type-2 vector technology.

The three parties intend to enter into a formal joint development agreement by the end of December this year. Create Vaccine is a joint venture company established onJuly 31, 2013 by DSP and Japan BCG for the promotion of new TB vaccine businesses.

Tuberculosis is one of the world’s Big Three infectious diseases. Some 8.6 million people around the world become infected every year, while some 1.3 million patients are fatally victimized. It is widespread, particularly in Asia andAfrica. In Japan every year, over 20,000 people contract the disease and over 2,000 die from it. Even though conventional vaccines are highly effective in infants and toddlers, they are much less effective against adult tuberculosis. Development of new TB vaccines is an impending challenge. Under the agreement, the three parties will work on the development of mucosal vaccines, incorporating clinical application of the human parainfluenza type-2 vector technology owned by NIBIO. If successfully developed, the mucosal vaccine will be the world’s first TB vaccine of its kind.