Our proprietary WISIT technology establishes a completely new vaccine format: β-glucan-based neoglucoconjugate vaccines.
Classical conjugate vaccines require a target specific B cell epitope and a carrier protein providing T cell help to induce an efficient antibody response. To increase immunogenicity of such conjugates, classical adjuvants are added. These conventional conjugate vaccines are administered intramuscularly (i.m.) or subcutaneously (s.c.). Although these tissues can mediate immune responses, they are not specialized in doing so.
In contrast, the WISIT technology delivers peptide-based neoglucoconjugate vaccines specifically designed to target skin-derived dendritic cells (DCs) thereby avoiding the use of conventional adjuvants required for vaccine efficacy.
WISIT constructs are unique as the vaccine backbone itself, β-glucan, is able to target and activate DC. It is fused to variable, proprietary T helper and disease-specific B cell peptide epitopes. WISIT vaccines are delivered directly into the skin, an organ rich in DC and other immune cell types. Through this intradermal (i.d.) application, the immunological potential of the skin, which is evolutionarily designed to initiate immune responses, can be maximally harnessed.
Our Science
Schematic representation of WISIT vaccines. They are superior to conventional conjugate vaccines in their potential to elicit antibodies of high avidity to the target.
Building on results obtained in our initial development program targeting Parkinson’s Disease (PD), we could already provide preclinical proof-of-concept for WISIT vaccines targeting human aSynuclein and demonstrated that these neoglucoconjugates are superior to conventional type PD conjugate vaccines in eliciting functional, protective antibody responses in vitro and in vivo (Schmidhuber et al 2022).
Building on results obtained in our initial development program targeting Parkinson’s Disease (PD), we could already provide preclinical proof-of-concept for WISIT vaccines targeting human aSynuclein and demonstrated that these neoglucoconjugates are superior to conventional type PD conjugate vaccines in eliciting functional, protective antibody responses in vitro and in vivo (Schmidhuber et al 2022).
