Shigellosis, a severe gastrointestinal disease, is caused by the invasion of the colonic epithelium by Shigella bacteria. As a well-known research service provider, our company is committed to advancing the development of vaccines and therapies for shigellosis.
Overview of Shigellosis
Shigellosis is an infectious disease caused by the Shigella genus of bacteria, predominantly affecting young children in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). It is characterized by acute bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever, resulting from the invasion of intestinal epithelial cells by the bacteria. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that Shigella is responsible for approximately 1.1 million deaths annually, with a significant proportion occurring in children under five years old. The transmission occurs primarily via the fecal-oral route, exacerbated by poor sanitation and overcrowding.
Fig.1 The diversity of Shigella spp. across seven LMICs. (Bengtsson R. J., et al., 2022)
Vaccine Development for Shigellosis
Researchers and the biopharmaceutical sector have placed significant emphasis on advancing the development of vaccines targeting shigellosis. Various candidates have been explored to formulate potent vaccines:
Table 1 Current vaccine candidates for Shigella. (Mani S., et al., 2016)
| Candidate name/identifier platform |
Developer |
Status |
| Cellular candidates |
| ShigETEC |
EveliQure Biotechnologies GmbH, Vienna, Austria |
Preclinical |
| Truncated Shigella |
International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Korea |
Preclinical |
| Ty21a typhoid vaccine expressing Shigella LPS |
Protein Potential LLC, Rockville, Maryland USA |
Preclinical |
| Heat Killed Multi Serotype Shigella (HKMS) vaccine |
NICED, Kolkata, India |
Preclinical |
| guaBA-based live attenuated (CVD 1208, CVD 1208S)] |
CVD at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland USA |
Phase I |
| Inactivated trivalent Shigella whole cell |
PATH, Washington DC and WRAIR, Silver Spring, Maryland USA |
Phase I |
| virG-based live attenuated (WRSS1, WRSs3, WRSf3) |
WRAIR, Silver Spring, Maryland USA |
Phase II |
| Glycoconjugate candidates |
Synthetic glycoconjugate:
use of synthetic oligosaccharides (OSs), acting as efficient functional SF2a O-SP mimics, as the haptens for a conjugate vaccine |
Institut Pasteur, Paris, France |
Preclinical |
Recombinant glycoconjugate:
O polysaccharide specific biconjugate vaccine |
Limmatech Biologics AG Schlieren, Switzerland |
Phase II |
Chemically prepared glycoconjugate:
O polysaccharide
covalently linked to carrier protein |
LDMI at the NICHHD, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland USA |
Phase III |
| Novel antigen candidates |
InvaplexAR:
2nd generation macromolecular complex composed of Shigella LPS and the Type 3 secretions system proteins |
WRAIR, Silver Spring, Maryland |
Preclinical |
OMV:
Shigella outer membrane vesicles encapsulated in nanoparticles |
University of Navarra, Navarra, Spain |
Preclinical |
34 kDa OmpA:
Conserved and cross reactive major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of Shigella flexneri 2a |
NICED, Kolkata, India |
Preclinical |
Therapeutics Development for Shigellosis
Antibiotic Therapies
The mainstay of shigellosis therapeutic remains antibiotics. However, the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance calls for the development of new drugs. Fluoroquinolones, such as ciprofloxacin, have been first-line therapeutics, but with emerging resistance, alternatives like azithromycin and cefixime are being considered.
Non-Antibiotic Therapies
Given the threat of antibiotic resistance, there is a growing interest in non-antibiotic therapies. This includes the use of bacteriophages, immunomodulatory agents, and probiotics, which are being explored for their potential to combat Shigella infections.
Our Services
The fight against shigellosis necessitates a multifaceted approach, combining vaccine development and therapeutic interventions. Our Company is dedicated to addressing this global health challenge through innovative research and development services. Our goal is to accelerate research and development for pharmaceutical companies around the world by advancing vaccine and therapeutic candidates.
Disease Models
- BALB/c WT: S. flexneri 5a M90T
- BALB/cJRj WT: S. sonnei and S. flexneri 5a M90T
- C57BL/6 WT: S. flexneri 2a 2457T, or S. sonnei 53G
- C57BL/6 N Nlrc4-/-Gsdmd-/-: S. flexneri 2a M90T
Our preclinical research services are designed to provide a robust foundation for the development of effective shigellosis vaccines and therapies. We utilize state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and methodologies to assess the safety and efficacy of vaccine candidates. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.
References
- Bengtsson, Rebecca J., et al. "Pathogenomic analyses of Shigella isolates inform factors limiting shigellosis prevention and control across LMICs." Nature microbiology 7.2 (2022): 251-261.
- Mani Sachin, Thomas Wierzba, and Richard I. Walker. "Status of vaccine research and development for Shigella." Vaccine 34.26 (2016): 2887-2894.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use
only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
