Comment: Dr Kim Watson gives reaction to a study that offers hope for a chlamydia vaccine
Release Date 19 June 2015
Dr Kim Watson, Associate Professor in Structural Biology at the University of Reading's School of Biological Sciences, says a new US study offers a ray of hope for a future chlamydia vaccine.
“The search for a chlamydia vaccine has had a long and somewhat chequered history – one that has been hampered by the complexity of our immune response to this pathogen, and also the struggle to find an effective means of delivering a vaccine.
“This study offers a ray of hope for the future. The researchers have employed an innovative, two-prong approach – first addressing the immediate immune response and then delivering the vaccine via a new method using synthetic nanoparticles, small carrier systems, to provide longer-term protection.
“Similar approaches have been used to develop drug delivery systems and in imaging techniques. This is the first time this technology and double-whammy approach has been applied to chlamydia.
“The technology has a strong foundation as a delivery method. However, clearly more testing would be needed to assess its effectiveness in humans, and to address any potential adverse effects. While this is an exciting step, bringing us closer to a human vaccine, it is early in the development stage.
“However, there is no doubt this work represents an important step forward in finding an effective vaccine against chlamydia trachomatis and other complex pathogens.”