THERIN

HPV infections causes more than 250 thousand deaths per year with more than 85 % of these occurring in middle- and low-income countries. The availably prophylactic vaccines are not suitable to eliminate established infections and thus prevent cancers that come as a consequence of the limited acceptance of vaccinations.
The THERIN partners therefore aim at developing a therapeutic vaccination strategy for the eradication of already existing HPV infections. The vaccine candidates shall be tested in non-human primate models for immunogenicity and efficacy, so that a finally a human candidate ready to enter clinical development will be available.

The Wagner lab contribution to the project encompasses the antigen design (protein and gene design), the generation of DNA- and MVA-vaccine-vectors (involving subcontracting partner ProBioGen), and their ex vivo characterization. Project partner Sirion-Biotech will contribute adenovirus vectors carrying the same antigens. In cooperation with Prof. Peter Holst (University of Copenhagen), the pre-clinical studies in mice and non-human primates (in cooperation with the Bogor Agricultural University) will be performed.