Advancing a multivalent ‘Pan-anthelmintic’ vaccine against soil-transmitted nematode infections

Zhan, Bin; Beaumier, Coreen M; Briggs, Neima; Jones, Kathryn M; Keegan, Brian P; Bottazzi, Maria Elena; Hotez, Peter J

Approaches to improve global deworming were recently suggested [9] . They include adding ivermectin to albendazole in areas where high levels of trichuriasis (and strongyloidiasis) transmission occur, and possibly adding new anthelmintics such as tribendimidine or a novel Bacillus thuringiensis-derived Cry5B crystal protein in order to target hookworms [9] . Still another approach to the global control and elimination of soiltransmitted nematode infections includes the development and distribution of anthelmintic vaccines [17] . Hookworm disease accounts for almost two-thirds of the global disease burden from soil-transmitted nematode infections [6] , so this infection was selected for initial vaccine development. Currently, the Sabin Vaccine Institute Product Development Partnership is developing a bivalent recombinant protein-based human hookworm vaccine [17] . The vaccine comprises two Necator americanus antigens, Na-GST-1 and Na-APR-1, which are formulated on alum together with a second adjuvant [17] . The Na-GST-1 component is in Phase 1 clinical trials with the expectation that Na-APR-1 will follow [17] .