The project focuses on developing a novel vaccine to combat avian influenza, a major threat to poultry health and the global poultry industry. By targeting the conserved M2e antigen of Influenza A viruses, the vaccine aims to provide effective and long-lasting immunity in chickens. The innovative use of Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) enhances the vaccine's efficacy, reducing the need for frequent updates and lowering production costs. This approach ensures the stability of poultry production and mitigates the economic losses caused by high mortality rates in chickens due to avian influenza.
Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, poses a significant risk to poultry health and the global poultry industry. The virus can cause high mortality rates in chickens, leading to substantial economic losses and threatening food security. Current vaccines often have limited efficacy and require frequent updates to match circulating virus strains. The poultry industry, poultry farmers, and consumers who rely on poultry products are the primary parties affected by this issue. An effective, stable, and long-lasting solution is needed to mitigate these challenges and ensure the sustainability of poultry production.
The innovation lies in the use of recombinant DNA technology to fuse M2e coding regions with nodaviral capsid protein, expressed in bacterial systems. This allows for scalable and cost-effective production of the vaccine. The self-assembling nanoparticles replicate the icosahedral structure of nodaviral capsids and display the M2e epitopes on their surface, ensuring a strong immune response. This method targets the most conserved region of the influenza virus, providing broad-spectrum and stable immunity. The technology is not only applicable to avian influenza but also has potential for developing vaccines against other viruses.
The proposed solution is a novel vaccine that utilises self-assembling nanoparticles to mimic the icosahedral structure of nodaviral capsids. These nanoparticles display the M2e epitopes, a conserved region of the influenza virus, on their surface. By presenting the epitope in a repetitive manner, the vaccine elicits a strong and durable immune response. This method addresses the shortcomings of conventional vaccines, which often provide short-lived and strain-specific immunity. The use of Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) ensures broad-spectrum protection and reduces the need for frequent updates, making it a more effective and economical option.
The competitive advantage of this vaccine lies in its ability to target the conserved M2e antigen, providing broad-spectrum and long-lasting immunity. Unlike conventional vaccines, which often require frequent updates, this solution offers stable protection, reducing production costs and ensuring the sustainability of poultry production. The use of Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) enhances the vaccine's efficacy and reduces the logistical challenges associated with traditional methods. The scalable and cost-effective production process further strengthens its market potential. This innovative approach sets a new standard in avian influenza vaccination, promising significant economic and health benefits for the poultry industry.