Crucell corporate brochure (PDF)

14
Our business – Research and development
Our strong research and development pipeline
Innovation is the driving force behind Crucell’s future growth supported
by a strong R&D pipeline. Our scientists focus on the discovery and
development of much-needed solutions for major threats to human
health—particularly vaccines and antibodies for the prevention and
treatment of infectious diseases. This has resulted in a broad pipeline
of investigational products with the potential to revolutionize the fight
against diseases such as influenza, rabies, malaria and tuberculosis.
Vaccine development: based on AdVac® technology
AdVac® technology involves the use of novel adenoviral vectors, such
as Ad35 and Ad26, in vaccines for diseases caused by viruses, bacteria
or parasites. These vectors are harmless adenoviruses that have been
disabled so that they cannot replicate. A vector functions as an efficient
‘gene taxi’, delivering into the human body a fragment of DNA that
carries the code for a protein of a specific pathogen. Once inside the
body, the vectors express (produce) these proteins and present them
to the person’s immune system, which mounts its protective response.
Using this versatile vaccine vector platform in combination with our
PER.C6® manufacturing technology, we are working with our partners
to develop vaccines against major threats to human health, including
tuberculosis, malaria, Ebola and Marburg, HIV, human papilloma virus
(HPV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). See page 17.
Tuberculosis (Phase II)
Crucell joined forces with the nongovernmental organization (NGO)
Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation in 2004 to develop a safe, effective
and affordable vaccine against tuberculosis (TB). The traditional TB
vaccine developed more than 85 years ago, Bacille Calmette Guérin
(BCG), does not reliably prevent pulmonary disease—the most common
form of TB—so there is a great need for a better alternative.
Together with Aeras, we are developing the novel TB vaccine candidate
AERAS-402/Crucell Ad35. The vaccine is based on Crucell’s innovative
AdVac® technology, which uses novel harmless adenoviruses as vaccine
vectors (vehicles). We are using the adenovirus 35 (Ad35) vector for this
particular vaccine.
www.crucell.com
AERAS-402/Crucell Ad35 is being designed as a ‘booster’ vaccine that
will be given to people who have previously been vaccinated with
the traditional TB vaccine or an improved, recombinant version of the
BCG vaccine that is being developed by Aeras. The BCG vaccine will prime
(prepare) the immune system to fight off TB infection and the AERAS-402/
Crucell Ad35 will be given later to boost this initial immune response.
Data from AERAS-402/Crucell Ad35 clinical trials (Phase I and II) support the
immunogenicity and acceptable safety profile of the candidate TB vaccine.
In 2009, an estimated 1.7 million people
died of tuberculosis.
Source: WHO, Global TB Control 2010 report.
Tuberculosis
Estimated new TB cases (all forms) per 100,000 population in 2009.
0–24
25–49
50–99
100–299
>300
No estimate