The first ever early clinical trial for a vaccine for genital chlamydia has shown it to be safe and effective at provoking an immune response.
The latest findings, from a randomised controlled trial of 35 healthy women led by Imperial College London and the Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen, demonstrate promising early signs of what could be an effective vaccine against chlamydia.
The infection is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide and it can lead to infertility.
One of the problems we see is that people get repeatedly re-infected. If you could introduce a protective vaccine, you could break that cycle. Professor Robin Shattock Department of Infectious Disease
The researchers highlight that the work is an ‘important first step’ but add that further trials are now needed to determine whether the immune response provoked by the vaccine will effectively protect against chlamydia infection.
Professor Robin Shattock, Head of Mucosal Infection and Immunity within the Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial said: “The findings are encouraging as they show the vaccine is safe and produces the type of immune response that could potentially protect against chlamydia.
“The next step is to take the vaccine forward to further trials, but until that’s done, we won’t know whether it is truly protective or not.”
Most prevalent bacterial STI
Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the most prevalent bacterial STIs, representing a major global health burden, with 131 million new cases occurring each year. However, as many as 3 out of 4 infections are symptomless, so the number of cases is likely to be underestimated.
National screening programmes and antibiotic treatment have failed to reduce infection rates, and the highest number of new cases are found in teenagers and young adults.
While infection can often be treated with antibiotics, complications can include inflammation, infertility, ectopic pregnancy, arthritis and even an increased susceptibility to other STIs, including HIV.
“The major issue with chlamydia is the long-term consequences,” explained Professor Shattock. “It is very treatable if identified, but as many people don’t have symptoms it can be missed, and the biggest problem is that it can go on to cause infertility in women.”
He added: “One of the problems we see with current efforts to treat chlamydia is that despite a very big screening, test and treat programme, people get repeatedly re-infected. If you could introduce a protective vaccine, you could break that cycle.”
Encouraging early results
In the latest trial, researchers compared two different formulations of the new vaccine to examine which would perform better. The 35 women not infected with chlamydia included in the trial were randomly assigned to three different groups: 15 participants received the vaccine with liposomes, 15 received the vaccine with aluminium hydroxide, and 5 received saline solution (placebo).
In total, participants received five vaccinations with three intramuscular injections in the arm over several months, followed by two intranasal boosts.
Both formulations of the vaccine provoked an immune response in 100% of participants, whereas no participants in the placebo group achieved an immune response.
Although both formulations of the vaccine were found to provoke an immune response, the added liposomes consistently performed better and produced more antibodies, so the authors suggest this formulation should be pursued for further clinical development.
The full findings are published in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases. The group is now planning phase 2 trials.
UK risks being ‘left behind’
The research was made possible through grants from the European Commission. Professor Shattock raised concerns about the future of such international collaborations and whether UK institutions can maintain their leading role in vaccine research.
“Increasingly vaccine development requires multiple partners,” said Professor Shattock. “We have a wealth of world-leading expertise in the UK, with our scientists working to tackle infections, and to discover and develop new vaccines. But if we are no longer part of that European network we may be left behind.
“It’s not just about the funding, it’s about being part of these larger projects that bring together companies and academics and a much wider portfolio of experience, technology and expertise to solve global health problems.”
Learn more: First vaccine for chlamydia shows promise in early trials
The Latest on: Chlamydia
[google_news title=”” keyword=”chlamydia ” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Chlamydia
- UT Health San Antonio to lead $11 million, NIH-funded study of a first-ever oral chlamydia vaccineon May 9, 2024 at 4:59 pm
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) will direct a team of researchers to investigate a novel oral vaccine for chlamydia, the most reported sexually ...
- UT Health San Antonio leads effort for developing oral vaccine against chlamydiaon May 9, 2024 at 1:16 pm
The study of a novel oral vaccine that could protect against chlamydia infection has been awarded approximately $11 million in National Institutes of Health funding over five years through a ...
- Chlamydia, rabies top county's reported diseases in Aprilon May 9, 2024 at 8:00 am
SHERIDAN — Chlamydia was the most reported disease in Sheridan County in April, with a total of six cases reported. There have been a total of 20 chlamydia cases reported in Sheridan County since the ...
- 'I lost my baby, I lost my marriage and I lost me'on May 3, 2024 at 11:45 pm
She said: "I lost my baby, I lost my marriage and I lost me." Lauren, from West Yorkshire, got pregnant last June and had no problems until she started getting "a bit of weird discharge". Doctors ...
- Sexually Transmitted Infections Have Surged, and Age Is No Barrieron May 3, 2024 at 7:54 am
Older daters are not getting adequate screening and protection from S.T.I.s. Here’s how to be a safer sexually active senior.
- Study: High percentage of chlamydia and gonorrhea patients not receiving CDC recommended treatmenton April 25, 2024 at 10:39 pm
Chlamydia and gonorrhea are the two most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States, impacting 2.4 million in 2021, and the number is rising.
- Study reports chlamydia and gonorrhea more likely to be treated per CDC guidelines in certain populationson April 25, 2024 at 1:38 pm
Chlamydia and gonorrhea are the two most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States, impacting 2.4 million in 2021, and the number is rising.
- Louisiana ranks no. 1 in U.S. for chlamydia cases, research showson April 17, 2024 at 9:09 am
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - According to recent data from the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), Louisiana is number one in the country for cases of chlamydia. That info is from 2022, when the state ...
- Chlamydia Vaccine Shows Promise in Early Trialon April 12, 2024 at 1:47 am
FRIDAY, April 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- A chlamydia vaccine has triggered immune responses in an early trial, raising hopes that one day it might help curb the spread of the sexually ...
- Chlamydia vaccine shows promising results in early-stage trialon April 11, 2024 at 9:36 pm
A Chlamydia vaccine showed promising results in an early-stage clinical trial conducted by researchers in the U.K. and Denmark. The early phase of the research found the experimental vaccine to be ...
via Bing News