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?

Replicating organisms are likely to give the most appropriate immune response but wild-type virus manipulates the host response. The aim is to reduce the virulence of the organism so that the vaccinated animal can mount a protective immune
response.

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

• Generate GM organisms that are viable but lack virulence
• Identify strains that give the greatest cross protection
• Ensure no reversions to virulence
• Ensure that vaccination results in sterile immunity

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

• Monitoring the immune response following immunisation with the various candidates
• Challenge experiments with the various vaccine candidates, including challenge with other strains

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

• The generation of stable genetically modified organisms
• Identity of virulence factors in FMD
• Identity of immunomodulators in FMD
• The availability of a standardised challenge model

Existing knowledge including successes and failures