The new study, led by the Institute for Molecular Medicine (IMM) and the National Institute of Aging in collaboration with the University of California, Irvine, and the University of California, San Diego, describes four vaccines designed to generate high levels of antibodies specific to various regions of pathological α-Synuclein, the protein associated with Parkinson Disease (PD), Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and other synucleinopathies, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Of these four vaccines, the best results were obtained with PV-1950, which simultaneously targets three B cell epitopes of this pathological molecule, showing the most significant reduction of α-Synuclein and neurodegeneration in the brains of vaccinated hα-Syn D line mice.
Dr. Agadjanyan said, “The development of a safe and immunogenic vaccine targeting all forms of pathological α-Synuclein is IMM’s goal. Importantly, our most effective vaccine, PV-1950, generated strong antibody production, reducing pathological α-Synuclein and improving motor deficits in a mouse model of disease is ready to be tested in preventive clinical trials”. He continued, “The PV-1950 has two versions – one based on DNA and one on recombinant protein. Complementary prime-boost immunization with heterologous DNA and protein vaccines is an alternative and promising approach to elicit greater antibody responses.”
PD is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder of aging that affects both motor and cognitive function. The institute looks to the vaccine-based preventative treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as PD, DLB, and AD. An immunogenic vaccine could be the most effective way to block/inhibit the aggregation of toxic α-Synuclein protein from the accumulation and spreading in the brains and halt or delay the disease, said IMM.
“α-Synuclein is a neuronal protein that is linked genetically and neuropathologically to various α-synucleopathies, including Parkinson’s disease (PD). Once pathology begins, it becomes virtually impossible to stop it, so using MultiTEP platform-based vaccine from IMM Nuravax want to halt or delay the disease in people at risk of α-synucleopathies,” said Roman Kniazev.
