[Menydh]

Oral ''vaccines'' for diabetes and hepatitis B

Biopeer
December 8, 2005

Diabetes and hepatitis B are among the biggest killers in South and South-east Asia and the need to find an effective solution to combat them has been high on the agenda of both governments and drug companies. The latest advancement in this regard is the announcement of the development of new vaccines by Transgene Biotek Ltd. These oral vaccines (to be administered as a liquid) are meant for insulin delivery and hepatitis B. They have been developed in collaboration with the pharmacology division of the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad.

Per the results of the pre-clinical trials, for those suffering from diabetes, the drug will not only help reduce blood glucose levels comparable to that of the injectable insulin, but also lessen plasma insulin levels, and shall be effective for up to 24 hours. The 24-hour relief is noteworthy since it could help in decreasing the frequency at which insulin would be required to be administered to diabetics. Pre-clinical trials of the hepatitis B oral vaccine have shown the generation of antibody titres to a single dose of oral delivery comparable to that of injectable hepatitis B vaccine.

Although hepatitis B can infect anyone, Asians have the highest rate of hepatitis B infection of all ethnic groups. Two-thirds of all 400 million chronic carriers of the hepatitis B virus in the world live in Asia. In many Asian countries, approximately 10 per cent of the population is chronically infected with hepatitis B. In the United States, more than half of the 1.25 million chronic carriers of HBV are of Asian descent.

With the pre-clinical trials providing enthusing results, Transgene Biotek has decided to undertake the next stage of clinical trials in India and Europe simultaneously. If successful, the drug would be a landmark development, as it would considerably ease the difficulty of administering the vaccine to infants and children as well as lower costs, thus aiding in the control of the illnesses across the world.


[source]