Co-operative Research projects for SMEs - European Commission ...

Lyme disease in the limelight
“A vaccine against Lyme disease will
Lyme borreliosis is transmitted to humans by
help to reduce the large number of
ticks carrying certain species of Borrelia bacteria. If
people who suffer from it
untreated with antibiotics, the bacteria can cause a number
in Europe.”
of severe diseases, such as meningitis, arthritis and carditis. No
vaccine exists for the European version of the disease. A small Austrian
biotechnology company is applying its innovative technology, in co-operation with several
other European SMEs and universities, to identify and isolate antigens common to all Borrelia
species causing borreliosis. These could be used in a new vaccine against the disease to be
marketed in both Europe and the US.
Lyme disease or borreliosis (LB) is the commonest tick-borne disease
in Europe. It can be transmitted to humans when they are bitten by
ticks carrying species of the Borrelia bacterium. Infection is often
diagnosed by a rash (Erythema migrans) that spreads out from the
site of the tick bite. If caught early, the disease can be prevented
with oral antibiotics. However, if left untreated, the bacteria can
spread through the bloodstream, access various tissues and cause
severe diseases including meningitis, arthritis and carditis.
The reported incidence of the disease in European countries ranges
from as few as 200 cases per year in the UK to over 20 000 in
Germany. Official incidence rates range from 0.3 to 150 cases per
year per 100 000 population. However, few countries have made
LB a notifiable disease, so these rates are only an approximate estimation.
Many experts believe that actual rates of LB infection
could be up to seven times higher.
No vaccine currently exists against LB, despite the fact that in
some countries the disease has had a significant socio-economic
impact. But the market for an effective vaccine has already been
proven: in the US, sales of the first and only human Lyme disease
vaccine reached $40 million in its first year, although the product
has now been withdrawn.
Intercell, a small biotechnology company based in Austria, has spotted
the market opportunity and brought together a number of
European SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) and universities
to collaborate on the very earliest stages of developing an LB
vaccine. The Bovac project is being funded by the EU as one of its
Co-operative Research projects.
Antigen attack
One of the problems with LB in Europe is that it is actually caused
by three genospecies of Borrelia, namely B. afzelii, B. garinii and
B. burgdorferi. An effective vaccine has to provide immunity to
patients against all three genospecies. Intercell is applying its innovative
Antigenome technology to screen all three Borrelia species
for common proteins that could form the basis of a new LB vaccine.
The company is using state-of-the art molecular biology techniques
to identify and isolate prospective antigens. The Antigenome tech-
BOVAC
nology takes the genome of Borrelia, fragments the DNA into
short lengths, then expresses the corresponding peptides on the surface
of bacteria. These bacteria are treated with human sera containing
anti-Borrelia antibodies to identify peptides that trigger
immune responses in patients.
As a second approach, the genomes of the three genospecies are
compared to identify common genes. The genes can be further investigated
to discover those which encode immunoreactive vaccine
candidates.
A Germany company, MWG Biotech, is carrying out the sequencing
work and will determine the genomic sequence of B. afzelii, which
is not publicly available. This could be particularly challenging as
the Borrelia species contain many linear and circular sections of
genomic DNA – called plasmids – that are difficult to isolate and
sequence. However, the company hopes to develop new techniques
for sequencing plasmids that it can use in other sequencing
projects. It is also interested in developing diagnostic tools for LB.
A Czech SME called BioTest is providing the animal testing facilities
for the project. It will work closely with the other project partners
to develop an animal model for LB that can be used in antigen
and vaccine testing. This project is an important step for the
company, which is looking to expand its
contacts and clients with the
EU since the Czech
Republic became a
Member State in
2004.
The classical bulls-eye
of erythema migrans.
© Dr. Gerold Stanek