Pertussis – development of a neonatal pertussis vaccine

Project Team: Volker Gerdts, Sylvia van den Hurk, Stacy Strom, Jill van Kessel

Pertussis (whooping cough), is a respiratory disease of young children that causes hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. Although vaccines are available, recent global epidemics highlight the need for novel, more effective vaccines.

Researchers at VIDO-InterVac have developed a vaccine that includes recombinant pertussis antigens formulated with a proprietary combination adjuvant. This vaccine has proven effective in preclinical animal studies after a single immunization in neonatal animals. We are seeking commercial partners for this technology.