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Imugene has made a major scientific advance in the efficacy of its pig and poultry vaccine delivery system, the Adenoviral Delivery Vector.

Managing Director Dr Warwick Lamb said, “As an indication of how dramatic this scientific advance is, the initial tests with the chicken productivity enhancer have shown that the modification to the vector has resulted in a 50 times increase in production of the active factor (a cytokine protein called Gamma interferon). The vector improvement will also have a major impact on our range of vaccines for specific diseases, again in both pigs and poultry. The increase in efficacy of the improved vector should also improve the immune responses elicited by the current range of vaccines, increasing the level of protection from disease”.

Imugene has already commenced applying the improvement to the entire existing product range. The first animal trials using products incorporating the improvements to the vector should be completed by the end of this calendar year. The expected improved performance of the Adenoviral Delivery Vectors will significantly enhance the commercial potential of our entire range of products, including those under evaluation by commercial partners. Improving the vector efficacy has major commercial impact, as the number of doses produced (in the same volume) will increase dramatically, substantially reducing the cost of production for each dose.

The improvement was achieved by successfully changing a component of the vector called the ‘promoter’. The new promoter greatly increases the expression of any gene delivered. The increased efficacy of the improved Adenoviral Delivery Vector means that more of the specific material required to stimulate the immune system is produced in the animal or bird. The increased production of these antigens or proteins should result in greater stimulation of the immune system, and therefore improve protection from disease. Additionally, the increased efficiency of the delivery vector may allow even more doses from the same volume of product, reducing the manufacturing cost and increasing the profit margins. The improvement in the Adenoviral Delivery Vectors is covered by our existing patents.