Nematode Vaccine Low-Dose Antigen Efficacy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for developing vaccines against Haemonchus contortus, a significant nematode parasite in sheep and goats, face challenges due to high production costs and inefficacy of recombinant antigen approaches, with native antigens being difficult to produce in commercially viable quantities and recombinant versions failing to confer protection.
Innovation Solution
A low-dose immunogenic formulation using purified native intestinal cell membrane glycoprotein antigens H-gal-GP and H11, isolated from infected animals, which can induce a protective immune response in animals when administered in amounts between 1µg to 10µg, potentially offering a cost-effective and effective vaccine solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If native antigens H-gal-GP and H11 are isolated from infected animals using conventional purification methods, then the antigens confer substantial protection (>80% efficacy) against Haemonchus contortus, but the production cost is prohibitively high and commercial viability is unattainable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the dosage parameter from conventional high doses (50-100 µg) to low doses (1-10 µg) of purified native antigens. This parameter change maintains protective efficacy while dramatically reducing the amount of antigen required per dose, thereby reducing production costs and improving commercial viability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and purifies only the essential protective components (H-gal-GP and H11 antigens) from the complex nematode intestinal cell membrane preparation. By isolating specifically these two major antigens through purification steps, the vaccine achieves high efficacy with a simplified, more cost-effective antigen composition.
2Ease of manufacture
If recombinant forms of H-gal-GP and H11 are produced to reduce manufacturing costs, then production becomes more scalable, but the recombinant antigens fail to confer useful protection
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using recombinant copies of the antigens, the patent uses authentic native antigens purified from actual Haemonchus contortus parasites. This approach ensures that the antigens retain their natural conformational epitopes and immunogenic properties, which are lost in recombinant versions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent reduces the dosage parameter to low levels (1-10 µg) of native antigens, making the use of expensive native antigens economically feasible. This dosage reduction compensates for the high cost of native antigen production by requiring far less material per vaccine dose.
3Reliability
If high doses of native antigens (50-100 µg) are administered to ensure protection, then substantial immunity is achieved, but the amount of antigen required makes vaccine production commercially unviable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the dosage parameter from high doses (50-100 µg) to low doses (1-10 µg) of purified native antigens. This 10-100 fold reduction in dosage maintains protective efficacy while making the vaccine production economically viable by requiring far less antigen material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses only the essential protective antigens (H-gal-GP and H11) at low doses rather than administering excessive amounts of crude antigen preparations. This targeted approach achieves sufficient immune protection with minimal antigen quantity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The low-dose formulation significantly reduces nematode egg counts and worm burdens, providing substantial protection against Haemonchus contortus infection, making it a viable commercial option by leveraging the immune response elicited by native antigens, even at reduced doses.
Implementation Method 1
Vaccination with these antigens generates circulating host antibodies. When the parasite feeds it ingests these antibodies with its blood meal. The antibodies bind to and disrupt the function of the parasite intestine
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to purified antigens derived from nematodes, such as Haemonchus contortus and their use in low doses to vaccinate susceptible animals. There is also provided a vaccine comprising a low dose of a purified nematode antigen such as an Haemonchus contortus antigen, as well as methods and dosage regimes for vaccinating/immunising susceptible animals.