The UK-based DNA manufacturing company, Touchlight, has announced a partnership with the University of Nottingham to supply scientists at the university with its GMP-grade doggybone DNA (dbDNA) for pre-clinical research and development focused on developing a next-generation vaccine for the Zika virus. The project is funded by Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) as part of the UK Vaccine Network, a UK aid program dedicated to developing vaccines for diseases with epidemic potential in low and middle-income countries. It aims to produce a more effective and stable vaccine, marking a significant advancement in combating the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne virus that can cause birth defects, neurological disorders and other complications.

Touchlight, an innovation-driven contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in enzymatic DNA production, is proud to announce the clinical supply of its proprietary dbDNATM to the University of Nottingham for research and development of a next-generation DNA vaccine targeting the Zika virus.

Scientists from the University of Nottingham are leading the development of a Zika virus DNA vaccine that can be manufactured within weeks and safely deployed globally in future epidemics. Dr James Dixon in the School of Pharmacy and Professor Janet Daly, director of the University of Nottingham’s Wolfson Centre for Global Virus Research are leading the programme.

Many DNA vaccines in development require devices to deliver the vaccine through the skin, with an injectable DNA vaccine being the target route of administration. The Nottingham team has developed a solution to this problem by developing a proprietary DNA formulation so it can be given by a simple injection. The project will involve the use of synthetic manufacture of the vaccine rather than bacterial fermentation, cutting the development time from 6 months to 6 weeks.

Touchlight’s enzymatic dbDNA technology represents a breakthrough in DNA production and offers a rapid, efficient and scalable method ideal for vaccine development. dbDNA offers the potential to reduce dose, eliminate antibiotic resistance and provide a solution for low cost, stable vaccines for the developing world. Touchlight will provide GMP dbDNA material for the clinical study.

Further advantages of DNA vaccines are their ability to be produced rapidly and cheaply, without the requirement for the cold-chain storage applicable to mRNA vaccines. This makes DNA vaccines ideal for responding to future disease outbreaks, especially in less economically developed regions.

This innovative project is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) as part of the UK Vaccine Network, a UK aid programme dedicated to developing vaccines for diseases with epidemic potential in low and middle-income countries.

Dr James Dixon commented: “The Touchlight technology has enabled us to make rapid progress and will make it possible to produce large quantities of the DNA vaccine at speed which is vital in pandemic prevention and our response to deployment of vaccines in the developing world and globally. It will be hugely exciting to complete the pre-clinical trials and take us into the final stages with clinical trials and seeing real-world impact.”

Tommy Duncan, Touchlight Chief Operating Officer, commented: “We are thrilled to support the University of Nottingham with our innovative dbDNA technology in the development of a Zika virus DNA vaccine. We are committed to enabling developers of DNA vaccines by providing rapid, high purity DNA for vaccines against emerging pathogens.”

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