Word: vaxdesign
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...deck of cards. From here, the next step is to toss a vaccine into the mix and watch the action unfold. (MIMIC uses skin-like constructs, since cuts and open sores on the skin are a natural entry point for many viruses, but different viruses prefer different doorways, so VaxDesign has already created a lung construct, and artificial nasal and intestinal linings are in the works...
...VaxDesign's model may soften, if not sidestep, such devastating setbacks by allowing researchers to road test a vaccine in human immune systems earlier than ever before. In essence, the constructs act as "clinical trials in a test tube." When an experimental vaccine enters the tissue constructs, the simulated immune system will sound the alarm, just as it would inside a human. Then, it does what an immune system does best - whips up antibodies. If the vaccine is successful, the antibodies will wipe out the targeted disease the next time it shows up. Best yet, researchers can test hundreds...
IAVI's search for an answer led them to Florida. Earlier this month, IAVI chose VaxDesign to receive the first award from its Innovation Fund, which supports potential breakthrough technologies applicable to AIDS vaccine research. Compared to what's available, MIMIC offers a dramatic increase in scale and speed, says Koff. "What's more, by collecting immune cells from different donors, promising vaccine candidates can be tested in diverse populations before they enter humans...
...goes well with test runs on licensed vaccines for yellow fever and rabies, VaxDesign will begin work on potential AIDS vaccines next year. While critics might argue that MIMIC is too oversimplified to be useful, Koff doesn't agree. "From our point of view, [VaxDesign is] further advanced than anyone in the field in terms of tissue engineering and vaccine design," he says. "If they are successful it will revolutionize all of vaccinology...
...possibilities for medical breakthroughs don't end at vaccines. VaxDesign hopes to use the MIMIC system to study autoimmune diseases, like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as inflammatory conditions, such as Crohn?s disease. The aim is to better understand both how these diseases impact immune function as well as help design smarter drugs. Says Koff, "the opportunities are endless...