International scientific conference explores new approaches to prevent infectious diseases

Swine flu … cancer … bioterrorism and the latest trends in countermeasures to combat these life-threatening diseases and infections are among the topics to be discussed at the upcoming New Cells for New Vaccines V: Global Perspectives international scientific conference, on October 11-13 in Wilmington, Delaware, at the Hotel du Pont.

More than 100 scientists and business leaders from around the world will convene for the 5^th annual scientific conference to exchange information on innovative approaches for producing life-saving vaccines and antibodies that combat and prevent infectious disease epidemics worldwide.

The conference is organized by one of the leaders in plant-based vaccine production, Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology (CMB), under the auspices of the International Association for Biologicals-IABS, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

With the multiple limitations of conventional production of influenza vaccine in eggs -- a time-consuming 50-year-old method that involves growing the flu virus in hens' eggs, breaking the eggs open and purifying the vaccine antigens -- developments in new production platforms, including insect cells, fungi and plants are evolving quickly. The conference tracks the progress of these new platforms and products in meeting regulatory requirements and advancing through clinical trials. One such example, which will be discussed at the conference, is the H1N1 influenza vaccine that Fraunhofer CMB recently took into Phase I clinical trials using their plant-based production process.

Dr. Vidadi Yusibov, one of the conference organizers and a member of the conference's scientific advisory committee, explained that the purpose of the conference is to exchange information on the latest developments in the world of vaccine development and manufacturing and spur collaboration for additional discoveries among academic researchers, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries and government agencies.

Topics covered in the three day conference include biological efficacy of new vaccine applications, scale-up and manufacturing of new production platforms, clinical experience and regulatory pat, novel approaches to vaccine development and global perspectives on harmonizing vaccine development and manufacturing regulations.

Source: Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology