Flebtier

• Grant number: 22/10568-3
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: June 01, 2023
• End date: February 29, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Reysla Maria da Silveira Mariano
• Grantee: Reysla Maria da Silveira Mariano
• Company: Vet Solutions Pesquisa e Consultoria Ltda - EPP (Filial)
• CNAE: Pesquisa e desenvolvimento experimental em ciências físicas e naturais ; Atividades veterinárias
• City: São Paulo
• Associated researchers: Isabela Teresa Santos Corrêa ; Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/11107-2 - Work plan for the production of vaccine formulations and analysis of effectiveness, BP.TT; 23/08290-0 - Flebtier, BP.PIPE

Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is considered a serious parasitic disease that affects humans and is fatal if left untreated. VL is endemic in Brazil and Europe, and in these places dogs are the main reservoirs of the parasite (Leishmania infantum), being responsible for maintaining urban transmission. Currently, there is a consensus among researchers working with VL that the control of this disease has a very high level of complexity so that the control measures indicated by the Ministry of Health can have a practical effect in a short period of time. Although a vaccine against canine disease is available in Brazil (Leish-Tec®), its protection is limited, and the treatment of canine disease does not eliminate the parasite from the animal's organism. Thus, the Ministry of Health still does not indicate any vaccination schedule to be used in the canine VL control campaign (CVL) in our country. However, it is a consensus in the Ministry of Health that measures that contribute to the dog with VL no longer being considered a transmitter of the disease are considered fundamental for the reduction of new human cases of VL. In addition, the Ministry of Health considers that the treatment of canine disease could induce resistant strains of the parasite, which could worsen the epidemiological situation of disease transmission. These facts demonstrate the need to develop new biotechnological strategies that can directly impact the effective control of human and canine VL in our country. This project was prepared following recent guidelines from the Ministry of Health. Thus, the central objective contemplates the production and testing of innovative vaccine formulations containing antigens of the insect vector in association with the protozoan that causes canine VL (pet market), so that such formulations can be produced on a large scale. The objective of this proposal is to develop a new solution for the Brazilian industry, particularly related to the biotechnology sector, through the development of a new immunobiological. Thus, this project proposes to evaluate the following general hypothesis: "The vaccine is able to contribute to the effective control of this disease". To evaluate this hypothesis, this project proposes the testing of new immunobiological formulations (six recombinant proteins screened by bioinformatics), in a platform of pre-clinical assays. At this stage, it will be possible to select the best formulation against VL, which can be produced on a large scale by the industry. This strategy intends to increase the competitiveness of the national industry, which has biotechnological development in the health area based on the acquisition of technologies developed by North American and European countries, in addition to contributing to the control of a serious public health problem that is visceral leishmaniasis. (AU)