Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-caused disease represents a significant health care burden worldwide. The RSV infects virtually all children throughout the world in both developed and developing countries. Re-infection is common because natural infection does not induce lasting immunity. Also, severe RSV infections are increasingly occurring among the elderly. In spite of wide-scale efforts to produce an effective vaccine against RSV, no vaccine is yet available. Development of an inexpensive edible plant-based oral vaccine is an innovative approach for the control of RSV. The present study extends the strategy of using a plant-based oral vaccine to a respiratory pathogen for the first time. Even if lasting immunity is not obtained with the plant-based vaccine, it would be relatively low in cost to use such a vaccine during successive RSV seasons. We have shown previously that oral immunization of mice with transgenic tomato fruit expressing an RSV- subunit protein, i.e., the F-protein, induces a systemic immune response. This """"""""proof of principle"""""""" Phase I study will optimize the expression of the RSV-F protein in the transgenic tomato fruit and determine the capacity of this orally-given antigenic protein to protect against an RSV challenge in two commonly-used models for RSV studies, the Balb/c mouse and the cotton rat. Success will validate the further development of our tomato- based vaccine against RSV and set the stage for a Phase II study. Such a vaccine will definitely make a difference and have an enduring impact on human health.

Public Health Relevance

Respiratory syncytial virus-caused disease is a significant health care burden worldwide, but no vaccine is available. We are developing an inexpensive vaccine using tomato plants to control this virus.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Small Business Innovation Research Grants (SBIR) - Phase I (R43)
Project #
1R43AI082834-01A1
Application #
7802544
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-IMM-G (12))
Program Officer
Kim, Sonnie
Project Start
2010-03-15
Project End
2012-02-29
Budget Start
2010-03-15
Budget End
2011-02-28
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$290,321
Indirect Cost
Name
Virogenomics, Inc.
Department
Type
DUNS #
045283590
City
Tigard
State
OR
Country
United States
Zip Code
97223