Multivalent vaccine botulinum toxin shows promise
Bolulinum toxin is an extremely strong neurotoxin that causes fatal paralysis in its victims; Florida company reports initial success of its multivalent vaccine
Miami, Florida-based biopharmaceutical company DOR BioPharma said earlier this week that findings have been published regarding the testing of a new botulinum toxin vaccine. This multivalent vaccine is administered through the nasal passages and contains three subunits of the toxin that happen to not be toxic. This vaccine, called BT-VACC, causes the appearance of antibodies to protect against natural versions of the subunits.
Dr. Lance Simpson of the Center for research on Bioterrorism and Biodefense at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, said: “These results are valuable for two reasons. First, they are a clear demonstration that it is feasible to create an inhalation or intranasal vaccine against the three botulinum serotypes that are of greatest concern to human health. Second, and looking toward the future, the results are a promising indicator that it should be possible to create an oral vaccine. There is a consensus among immunologists and public health officials that oral vaccination is one of the most desirable ways to protect vulnerable populations against toxic substances.”
The Bolulinum toxin is an extremely strong bacterially based neurotoxin that causes eventual and fatal paralysis in its victims. It can be found in spoiled food but is also a substance sued in bioterrorism. Due to the human susceptibility rate, this toxin is considered a class A Biothreat. A very small, non-fatal amount of the toxin is found in the cosmetically used Botox.
