You are in luck if you’ve ever wondered about the evolution of infectious disease treatment trends and developments. The World Health Organization (WHO), has released a new report that provides insight into these trends and how they have impacted our lives. It examines, among other things, how vaccines have been developed to treat leading causes of disability and death around the globe.
MAbs
Patients suffering from infectious diseases may be able to benefit from biological treatments like monoclonal antibody (mAbs). Unlike vaccines that target the host immune system, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) can be administered directly at the patient. They provide protection against infection for a long time.
But, it is not easy to develop mAbs that can be used to treat infectious diseases. This review will highlight recent developments and trends. These will allow you to determine the strengths or weaknesses of biological treatments.
Anti-toxin anti-toxin (mAb) therapies reduce damage to the host as well as bacterial virulence. A humanized mAb that targets anthrax toxin is one example of a medicine that has reduced the risk of bacteremia. Endotoxin neutralization is the key to this effect. A mAb that targets biofilms has been shown to decrease its formation. Combining these therapies may increase the immune response and eliminate the infection.
Despite all the recent advancements, there are many questions regarding the effectiveness of mAbs in treating infectious diseases. These therapies will only be possible if we have a better understanding about the biology of pathogens. To investigate the therapeutic potential for mAbs, it is necessary to conduct better preclinical studies.
COVID-19
COVID-19, a serious viral respiratory illness, affects many people. It can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and multi-organ failure. Effective antiviral treatment can reduce the severity of the illness and its complications.
The severity of COVID-19 infection will determine the treatment. Patients with milder cases can be treated at home. Patients with more serious conditions may need to be admitted. Cardiogenic shock can also occur in some patients.
COVID-19 can take several different antiviral medications. Antiviral medications reduce the number of viruses produced in the host cell. Some patients may develop antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2.
COVID-19 has seen significant clinical research. There are many treatments available, including mesenchymal-stem cells (MSCs). These cells were shown to decrease the severity of the inflammatory response caused by SARS-CoV-2. These cells also have strong tissue repair capabilities.
COVID-19 can be treated using a variety non-invasive techniques, such as continuous positive airway pressure and non-invasive positive pressure ventilation. Continuous pulse oximetry can be used to monitor patients who are using these devices.
TB
There are many classes of anti-TB drugs that have been repositioned or repurposed to treat active TB. Research focuses on prioritizing promising treatment options and evaluating them. Collaborations are not only between academia and the pharmaceutical industry, but also include non-profit organizations as well as the medical community.
Complexity of host reactions and disease progression makes it difficult to develop effective TB infection treatment. This has hindered the development of drug discovery strategies and prevention strategies. Recent advances in TB therapy have the potential to help achieve the three main goals of active TB treatment: preventing spread, controlling infection, and achieving a lasting cure.
These challenges have been addressed by a new paradigm in pan-TB regimen development. It has seen rapid progress over the past five to ten year. This paradigm integrates systems biology, computational tools, and synergistic drug interactions.
Even though there is a large pipeline of drug candidates, there is still a need for clinical trials and combinations. To evaluate and prioritize the increasing number of drug candidates, a new paradigm is needed.
HIV
Despite huge progress in reducing HIV infection rates worldwide, the number of AIDS-related deaths is still very high. Many of the most affected countries continue to see significant increases in HIV infection.
Since 2001, there has been a decrease in the prevalence of HIV among adults. New findings show that gay men are at greater risk for new HIV infections worldwide.
Sub-Saharan Africa is particularly affected by this trend in HIV prevalence. This region had more than 3.9 million HIV-infected individuals as of 2009.
While the HIV-related death rate in Sub-Saharan Africa has been lower than other regions, it is still increasing. The increase in antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the creation of a vaccine has contributed to a decrease in AIDS-related death rates.
ART has been an integral part of the fight against the AIDS epidemic. It has helped to reduce HIV infection rates by 60% and saved 1.2 million lives each year.
MRNA Vaccines
MRNA vaccines offer a new form of vaccination. These vaccines are safer and more effective than conventional vaccines. These vaccines can also be produced quickly and safely administered by non-viral delivery.
In recent years, a variety of infectious diseases have become more common. Additionally, mRNA vaccines can improve the body’s immune systems. This could lead to cheaper and more effective treatments for disease. Many companies are working on mRNA-based vaccines for common infections. In the next few years, there will be a growing market for mRNA vaccines.
There are still many hurdles to overcome despite a growing market for mRNA based vaccines. The high cost of testing mRNA based vaccines in clinical trials is one of the greatest concerns. Many players are trying to lower the cost of vaccine testing.
Researchers are looking for ways to make mRNA-based vaccines that do not alter the natural function or mRNA. Researchers are also looking at ways to accelerate the production process.
There are many mRNA-based vaccines currently being developed, including those for Zika virus, cytomegalovirus and influenza. Lyme disease, drug-resistant malaria and rabies are other potential targets.
Macrophage Virus
SARS-CoV-2 infects alveolar epithelial cell. Two ways infection can occur: by phagocytosis or escape from the lysosome. Both of these methods involve an inflammatory pathway that is maintained by IFNg-secreting cells. These findings suggest that tissue-resident alveolar microphages could play a role as a source of SARS-CoV-2 infections.
SARS-CoV-2 was previously detected using immunofluorescence microscopy, smFISH and immunofluorescence microscopy, which detects negative-strand transcripts. Patients with severe SARS-2 pneumonia have alveolar macrophages that contain SARS-2. They create a positive feedback loop, which promotes alveolitis. The mechanisms behind infection and subsequent alveolar inflammation remain unknown. This study investigated the effects of SARS-CoV-2 upon the function and composition of alveolar macrophages.
To identify the cells that make up the alveolar macrophages, flow cytometry was used. Based on their expression of CD206, alveolar macrophages can be divided into two groups. Healthy controls have high-abundance CD206hi macrophages, while patients with severe SARS/CoV-2 infections only have low-abundance CD206lo macrophages.
Vaccines For New Variants
There is still much to learn about vaccines that can be used for infectious diseases. In recent years, many new formulas have been developed and shown promising results in clinical trials. Many biotechnology companies have been motivated by these results to commercialize mRNA vaccines. Multilateral initiatives have also invested billions of dollars in expanding production facilities around the world.
Self-amplifying MRNAs is one of the most promising methods for developing mRNA vaccines. These vaccines are made from engineered genomes, and produce multiple copies of antigen-encoding genes. These mRNAs are released into the body and cause the immune system to produce high levels of the heterologous genes. This causes stronger immune responses than traditional vaccines.
A second approach to developing mRNA vaccinations is to modify the mRNA with nucleosides in order to prevent it from being recognized by innate immune sensor. This strategy is not guaranteed to be safe. Modified mRNA-based vaccinations, for example, were proven to protect guineapigs against Ebola virus disease.
Incorporating 5′ and 3’ untranslated regions in the mRNA code is another way to increase the effectiveness of mRNA vaccinations. This increases the translation efficiency and allows for more vaccine delivery to the body.
Vaccines For Pre-Existing Immunity
Recent years have seen remarkable progress in vaccines that provide pre-existing immunity for infectious disease treatment. Vaccines are highly effective and have saved many lives. They still face challenges. They face a limited supply and lack of support from the public.
Many countries have increased their production capacity due to global competition for a limited supply of vaccines. Many countries are investing billions to build new vaccine production plants. The World Health Organization set a 70% coverage goal for all countries by 2022.
High-income countries have higher vaccination rates per capita and a lower estimate of the number of deaths prevented by each vaccine. However, lower-income countries have a lower vaccine coverage and a lesser estimated number of deaths prevented by each vaccine.
There are currently thirty vaccines that have been approved for general use in the majority of countries. Many of these vaccines were created by universities and private pharmaceutical companies. The government usually funds the initial stages of development.
Vaccines can be used to protect against certain pathogens as well as for the elimination and prophylaxis of allergies. Despite their success, vaccines that provide protection against certain pathogens continue to face difficulties.
Powerpatent
The infectious diseases team combines knowledge in biotechnology, small-molecule chemistry, pathogenesis, and immunology to provide treatment methods for companies and organizations that are innovating within the infectious disease sector.
Our integrated team can provide strategic IP services for companies and organizations involved in innovation in the infectious disease sector. Our services include patent portfolio strategy and freedom-of-operate analysis (including design around counseling for diagnostics and treatment), patentability analyses and patent procurement, licensing, and cooperative research and development agreements. We also provide litigation support (including at the USITC).
We have extensive experience in the following areas:
- Vaccines
- Adjuvants
- Anti-infectives including:
- Antivirals
- Antibiotics and antibacterials
- Biodefense
- Virulence markers
- Personalized medicine
- Diagnostic tests
- Biologics