TBVAC2020 : advancing tuberculosis vaccines from discovery to clinical development

TBVAC2020 is a research project supported by the Horizon 2020 program of the European Commission (EC). It aims at the discovery and development of novel tuberculosis (TB) vaccines from preclinical research projects to early clinical assessment. The project builds on previous collaborations from 1998 onwards funded through the EC framework programs FP5, FP6, and FP7. It has succeeded in attracting new partners from outstanding laboratories from all over the world, now totaling 40 institutions. Next to the development of novel vaccines, TB biomarker development is also considered an important asset to facilitate rational vaccine selection and development. In addition, TBVAC2020 offers portfolio management that provides selection criteria for entry, gating, and priority settings of novel vaccines at an early developmental stage. The TBVAC2020 consortium coordinated by TBVI facilitates collaboration and early data sharing between partners with the common aim of working toward the development of an effective TB vaccine. Close links with funders and other consortia with shared interests further contribute to this goal

TBVAC2020: Advancing tuberculosis vaccines from discovery to clinical development

TBVAC2020 is a research project supported by the Horizon 2020 program of the European Commission (EC). It aims at the discovery and development of novel tuberculosis (TB) vaccines from preclinical research projects to early clinical assessment. The project builds on previous collaborations from 1998 onwards funded through the EC framework programs FP5, FP6, and FP7. It has succeeded in attracting new partners from outstanding laboratories from all over the world, now totaling 40 institutions. Next to the development of novel vaccines, TB biomarker development is also considered an important asset to facilitate rational vaccine selection and development. In addition, TBVAC2020 offers portfolio management that provides selection criteria for entry, gating, and priority settings of novel vaccines at an early developmental stage. The TBVAC2020 consortium coordinated by TBVI facilitates collaboration and early data sharing between partners with the common aim of working toward the development of an effective TB vaccine. Close links with funders and other consortia with shared interests further contribute to this goal

Antigen-specific responses assessment for the evaluation of Bordetella pertussis T cell immunity in humans

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Humoral and B-cell memory responses in children five years after pertussis acellular vaccine priming

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Antiendomysial and antihuman recombinant tissue transglutaminase antibodies in the diagnosis of coeliac disease

Objective To investigate the value of serum antitissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies (IgA-TTG) and IgA antiendomysial antibodies (IgA-EMA) in the diagnosis of coeliac disease in cohorts from different geographical areas in Europe. The setting allowed a further comparison between the antibody results and the conventional small-intestinal histology. Methods A total of 144 cases with coeliac disease [median age 19.5 years (range 0.9-81.4)], and 127 disease controls [median age 29.2 years (range 0.5-79.0)], were recruited, on the basis of biopsy, from 13 centres in nine countries. All biopsy specimens were re-evaluated and classified blindly a second time by two investigators. IgA-TTG were determined by ELISA with human recombinant antigen and IgA-EMA by an immunofluorescence test with human umbilical cord as antigen. Results The quality of the biopsy specimens was not acceptable in 29 (10.7%) of 271 cases and a reliable judgement could not be made, mainly due to poor orientation of the samples. The primary clinical diagnosis and the second classification of the biopsy specimens were divergent in nine cases, and one patient was initially enrolled in the wrong group. Thus, 126 coeliac patients and 106 controls, verified by biopsy, remained for final analysis. The sensitivity of IgA-TTG was 94% and IgA-EMA 89%, the specificity was 99% and 98%, respectively. Conclusions Serum IgA-TTG measurement is effective and at least as good as IgA-EMA in the identification of coeliac disease. Due to a high percentage of poor histological specimens, the diagnosis of coeliac disease should not depend only on biopsy, but in addition the clinical picture and serology should be considered

Predictive immunomonitoring - The COST ENTIRE initiative

SCOPUS: ed.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Clinical spectrum, risk factors and outcome of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in patients with tuberculosis-HIV coinfection.

BACKGROUND: Here, we aimed to determine the clinical spectrum, predictors and outcomes of paradoxical tuberculosis-immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS) in a resource-limited setting. METHODS: In a prospective cohort, we studied 254 patients with tuberculosis and HIV coinfection commencing antiretroviral therapy (ART). We identified patients with TB-IRIS using the International Network for Studies Against HIV-Associated IRIS (INSHI) case definition. Risk factors and clinical outcomes of TB-IRIS were determined and reported. RESULTS: A total of 53 (21%) patients developed TB-IRIS a median of 2 weeks (IQR 12-22 days) after starting ART. The majority of the patients (70%) with TB-IRIS had extrapulmonary manifestations of TB-IRIS. In a multiple logistic regression model, baseline haemoglobin <100 g/l (OR 2.23 [95% CI 1.08-4.60]; P=0.031) and baseline CD4(+) T-cell count <50 cells/μl (OR 4.13 [95% CI 1.80-9.51]; P=0.001) were significant predictors of IRIS. Seven additional patients fulfilled all INSHI criteria of TB-IRIS but had the episode of TB-IRIS later than 3 months after ART start. CONCLUSIONS: TB-IRIS was a frequent reason for clinical deterioration among patients with TB commencing ART but was not a primary contributor to mortality. Patients with advanced CD4 depletion and anaemia were at increased risk of TB-IRIS. Some patients developed late-onset TB-IRIS and/or a recurrent TB-IRIS episode