Media release
From: Australian Science Media CentreBRIEFING ALERT: Vaccine for step throat and rheumatic fever to enter human trials
NEWS BRIEFING: Tuesday 2 August 2016 at 10:00 AEST ONLINE
Researchers from Griffith University's Institute for Glycomics today announce that they will begin clinical trials on a new, needle-free vaccine targeted at Streptococcus A infection, the cause of strep throat and rheumatic heart disease.
Strep A bacteria are responsible for a wide range of illnesses, from common infections like 'school sores' and strep throat, to deadly toxic shock and rheumatic heart disease. Even the rather gruesome sounding flesh eating disease has this group of bacteria to blame. More than 500,000 people worldwide each year die from diseases caused by these bacteria and indigenous Australians are especially vulnerable.
The team at Griffith have secured investment from the Chinese pharmaceutical company Olymvax Biopharmaceuticals Inc. (Olymvax) to test their vaccine, which is administered via the nose, in clinical trials in the Australian indigenous population and in China. If successful, Olymvax will then manufacture and sell the vaccine in the Chinese market, while Griffith University will be able to commercialise the vaccine in Australia and other global markets.
Speakers:
- Dr Chris Davis is the General Manager of the Institute for Glycomics at Griffith University
- Dr Michael Batzloff is Research Leader at the Institute for Glycomics at Griffith University
- Dr Mehfuz Zaman is from the Institute for Glycomics at Griffith University. He is a coinventor of the vaccine
