Developing new maternal vaccine as alternative to reduce antibiotic usage
The UK Health Security Agency (HSA) is developing a new maternal vaccine at its Porton Down laboratory in Wiltshire, with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to combat antimicrobial resistance.
At the Vaccine Development Evaluation Centre within the high containment lab, work is underway to create a pregnancy jab for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) due to the rising issue of antibiotic resistance and the risk it poses to infants from infections, according to the HSA.
According to the agency, GBS is the main cause of vaccine-preventable infections in newborns in developed countries, as well as a significant contributor to newborn infections and stillbirths worldwide. The increasing antimicrobial resistance further complicates the situation.
Women who test positive are administered intravenous antibiotics during labor to safeguard both the mother and child, resulting in a significant rise in antibiotic use during childbirth in some regions.
The overuse of antibiotics is believed to accelerate antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a phenomenon that claims millions of lives globally each year. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified AMR as a top global public health threat, directly responsible for an estimated 1.27 million deaths in 2019 and contributing to nearly 5 million more.
£85 Million Funding for Global ‘Emergency’
Last month, the HSA unveiled a five-year strategy to combat AMR, allocating £85 million to address what it termed a global “antibiotic emergency.”
OECD Warning
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has cautioned that failure to take appropriate action could result in costs associated with treating resistant infections equivalent to facing a “COVID pandemic every five years.”
The HSA’s document outlines plans to reduce antibiotic usage in humans by 15% over the next five years through alternative therapies and preventive measures, as well as to enhance the detection and diagnosis of AMR through new diagnostic tools.
The agency aims to collaborate across various sectors to fund and undertake innovative scientific research for the development of vaccines, diagnostics, antimicrobials, and alternative therapies that cater to global needs.
Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are viruses that can eradicate harmful bacteria without harming humans. Phage therapy, prevalent in the early 20th century, has resurfaced as an alternative to antibiotics.
Porton Down Controversies
The Porton Down Vaccine Development Centre, housing over 200 scientists, aims to create vaccine prototypes for rapid deployment in case of a declared pandemic within three months – the so-called “100 Days Mission.”
Porton Down has a history steeped in secrecy and controversy, known for its work on chemical and defense weapons for over a century. Established in 1916, the site has faced criticism for conducting experiments on human subjects, including testing nerve gas effects on armed forces personnel.
After transitioning into the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, the site continues to be a subject of scrutiny for its use of animals in experiments, purportedly involving exposure to lethal agents and pathogens.
Presently, the facility is engaged in over 100 projects related to various pathogens.
