In August 2024 Touchlight announced that it is supplying its proprietary dbDNA to the University of Nottingham in support of the research and development of a next-generation DNA vaccine targeting Zika virus. The scientists at University of Nottingham are working on a Zika virus DNA vaccine that could be manufactured “within weeks” and deployed globally in future epidemics. While many DNA vaccines in development require devices to deliver the vaccine through the skin, the Nottingham researchers have identified a solution. Their proprietary DNA formulation can be given by a simple injection and uses synthetic manufacture instead of bacterial fermentation, shortening development time from 6 months to 6 weeks.
Rapid, efficient, scalable
Touchlight states that its enzymatic dbDNA technology represents a “breakthrough” in DNA production, offering a “rapid, efficient, and scalable” method for vaccine development. The dbDNA has the potential to reduce dose, eliminate antibiotic resistance, and provide a solution for low cost, stable vaccines for the developing world. Named after its schematic structure, doggybone DNA (dbDNA) is a “minimal, linear, double stranded, and covalently closed DNA construct”. It can encode long, complex, or unstable DNA sequences and has a “strong” expression profile.
DNA vaccines
DNA vaccines can be produced “rapidly and cheaply” and don’t require the same cold-chain storage as mRNA vaccines. Therefore, DNA vaccines are “ideal” for outbreak responses, particularly in “less economically developed regions”. The project has been funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care, within the UK Vaccine Network, which aims to develop vaccines for disease with epidemic potential in low- and middle-income countries.
University of Nottingham’s Dr James Dixon commented that the Touchlight technology “has enabled us to make rapid progress” and will allow the team to “produce large quantities of the DNA vaccine at speed”. This is “vital in pandemic prevention and our response to the deployment of vaccines in the developing world and globally”.
“It will be hugely exciting to complete the pre-clinical trials and take us into the final stages with clinical trials and seeing real-world impact.”
Touchlight Chief Operating Officer Dr Tommy Duncan is “thrilled” to support the team at Nottingham with “innovative dbDNA technology”.
“We are committed to enabling developers of DNA vaccines by providing rapid, high purity DNA for vaccines against emerging pathogens.”
We look forward to welcoming Touchlight to the Congress in Barcelona this October; get your tickets to join us there and don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly newsletters for vaccine updates.
