New TB vaccine ?

         On March 11, I did mention about the improvement for the existing BCG vaccine for tuberculosis. But this is something really interesting a new vaccine (AdAg85A vaccine) for TB, has been developed using a genetically modified adenovirus by a group of researchers lead by Prof. Zhou Xing of McMaster University. 
 

     As we are aware TB ranks second only to HIV among infectious killers worldwide, claiming nearly two million lives annually. The disease is evolving faster than therapies with the emergence in recent years of strains that are resistant to every last one of the antibiotic defences. This reserach is of great importance because of the fact that  new TB vaccine using a genetically modified adenovirus - a virus responsible for the common cold. After removing a small portion of the gene, they inserted part of the TB gene responsible for immunity. It is natural ways of making the body use its own immune machinery.

 

   And going by the claims that (based on all pre-clinical studies carried out on animals, including mice, guinea pigs -who are very prone to TB  and cattle), this vaccine appears to be a very promising candidate vaccine.

  Once they will be able to conlcude (may be after mid April/May), about the safety of the vaccine, this research will go a long way in the history of TB research... Congrats Prof. Xing and group.  More..