Fyzikální ústav Akademie věd ČR

Team led by Assoc. Prof. I. Kratochvílová obtained award TAČR 2015 for successfully solved project TA01011165 "Synthetic multi-epitope vaccine against Lyme disease for veterinary applications"

In present time, Lyme disease can be treated by rapid application of antibiotics in an early stage. However, a great number of patients is not cured in time and many have life-long health consequences. Researchers from the Institute of Veterinary Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sceinces, Palacký University in Olomouc, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences and from the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with the company Bioveta from Ivanovice na Hané created recombinant chimeric multi-epitope vaccine against Lyme disease. The uniqueness of the vaccine is given by the fact that it operates on a wide variety of Borrelia, which are the main agents of the disease.

Fig. 1: Proteoliposome shown by TEM. ROspC antigen molecules are indicated by a white arrow. The identity of the antigen is also confirmed by immunoaffinite labelling by colloidal gold particles (black arrow).

Scientists from the Institute of Physics under the leadership of Assoc. Prof. Irena Kratochvílová developed a theoretical interaction model of the vaccine construct stability and analyzed the influence of selected parameters on individual parts of the complex. Mutual cooperation of academia and industry allowed application of the latest technology to prepare antigens, adjuvants synthesis, liposomal carriers, make vaccine design and tests.

For vaccine contruction two proteins deduced from Borrelia burgdorferi antigens were proposed OspC and OspA

Preclinical experiments demonstrated the ability of the vaccine to induce a significant antibody response. Biotechnology and pharmaceutical company Bioveta has already started the construction of a new modern facilities for the production of recombinant vaccines. Besides the medical aspects new vaccine promises substantial economic benefits. For a vaccine against Lyme disease there exist a large global market, and thus the potential success of this vaccine will increase the prestige of the Czech science.