Roadmap for the development of candidate vaccines for FMD

What are we trying to achieve and why? What is the problem we are trying to solve?

The development of a safe platform for production of a marker inactivated vaccine.

What are the scientific and technological challenges (knowledge gaps needing to be addressed)?

• Improve efficacy
• Ensure cross protection (within and without serotype)
• Improve duration of immunity
• Improve method of administration
• Generate the desired immune response

What approaches could/should be taken to address the research question?

What else needs to be done before we can solve this need?

• Identity of protective antigens
• Availability of suitable molecular adjuvants
• The availability of a standardised challenge model

Existing knowledge including successes and failures

A double marker cDNA-derived Killed FMDV Vaccine Platform is being developed. This vaccine platform comprises a
genetically engineered attenuated FMDV backbone, molecularly and antigenically marked by deletion of the Leader protein and conserved B cell immunodominant epitopes to allow serological differentiation of vaccinated from infected animals. Further modifications are the inclusion of unique restriction endonuclease sites for rapid replacement of capsid coding sequences. Although still at the Discovery phase, it seems to present several advantages as compared to conventional FMD vaccine platforms.