Artificial Immune System for Predictive Vaccine Testing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for developing vaccines and drugs are inefficient due to high attrition rates and costly animal models, which fail to accurately predict human immunological responses, limiting the translation of new vaccine and drug candidates from preclinical to clinical trials.

Innovation Solution

An artificial immune system comprising cell cultures of B cells, T cells, and antigen-primed dendritic cells is developed to create a lymphoid tissue equivalent for in vitro testing, allowing for the assessment of immune responses and vaccine efficacy in a human-like environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If animal models (mouse and rabbit models) and non-human primate models are used for vaccine development, then preclinical testing can be performed, but the cost increases and the accuracy of predicting human immunological responses deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of predicting human immunological responsesVSAvoidcost of preclinical testing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates an artificial human immune system that is a simplified copy of the human immune system, using cultured human immune cells (B cells, T cells, dendritic cells) organized in a controlled in vitro environment. This copying approach replaces complex animal models while maintaining human-specific immunological responses, thereby improving predictive accuracy for human trials while reducing costs associated with animal housing, care, and ethical compliance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Productivity

If traditional testing systems are used, then preclinical data can be obtained, but the translation to human immunology deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of vaccine developmentVSAvoidtranslation to human immunology

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent fundamentally changes the parameter of biological species from non-human animals to human cells, creating an in vitro system that uses cultured human immune cells. This parameter change ensures that the immunological responses observed are directly relevant to human biology, improving translational reliability while maintaining accelerated development timelines through controlled in vitro experimentation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If small animal models are used for vaccine testing, then preclinical evaluation can be performed, but the cost and ethical concerns increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepredictive value for human studiesVSAvoidcost and ethical constraints

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs disposable in vitro cell cultures that can be easily established, tested, and discarded after a single use. These cultured human immune cell systems are much cheaper than maintaining animal colonies, require no specialized animal facilities, and eliminate ethical concerns related to animal welfare while providing human-specific predictive data for vaccine development.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS7785806B2Method for determining the immunogenicity of an antigen

Publication Date: 2010.08.31 SANOFI PASTEUR VAXDESIGN CORP

AI summary

The present invention relates to methods for preparing an artificial immune system. The artificial immune system comprises a cell culture comprising T cells, B cells and antigen-primed dendritic cells. The artificial immune system of the present invention can be used for in vitro testing of vaccines, adjuvants, immunotherapy candidates, cosmetics, drugs, biologics and other chemicals.