WHAT IF…
WE COULD PROTECT OURSELVES WITHOUT NEEDLES?
WHAT IF…
LIFE-SAVING VACCINES COULD BE DELIVERED TO OUR HOMES?
WHAT IF…
WE COULD STOP PANDEMICS BEFORE THEY START?
WE CAN.
WE MUST.
Public Health
Animal-Borne Diseases Threaten Global Health
Image Source: NIAIDS 2017
75% of emerging infectious diseases start in animals, which cause 2.7M human deaths each year. That is one death every 12 seconds.
According to a Harvard University report, preventing pandemics would save millions of lives and cost only 5% of the half-trillion lost per year due to pandemics.
US BIOLOGIC “Delivers Disease Prevention®”, limiting the spread of pandemic-capable animal-borne diseases through vaccines targeting infected animals.
Stopping Tick-Borne Diseases Like Lyme
- According to the CDC, Lyme disease affects 476,000 people in the U.S. each year.
- The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services recently announced that Lyme disease is a “$50-$100 billion-dollar problem for the United States…”.
- Lyme disease can cause severe damage to joints and the neurological system and has been linked to deaths due to Lyme-induced cardiac disease.
- According to the journal Science, “Lyme disease–carrying ticks are now in half of all U.S. counties.”
Lyme Disease Progression
Regions where ticks that carry Lyme are established (red) or reported (blue). Source: STAT2016
Regions where ticks that carry Lyme are established (red) or reported (blue). Source: STAT2016
Vaccinate Mice & Prevent Infection at the Source
Ticks spread Borrelia burgdorferi, which is the bacteria that causes Lyme disease in humans, horses, and pets. Ticks are not born with Borrelia burgdorferi but instead pick up the bacteria from feeding on already infected mice.
Scientists from CT, NY, PA, and TN have developed a new solution: an orally delivered vaccine targeting those mice. Non-infected mice cannot spread the infection to ticks.
The vaccine technology has been tested for over 10 years. According to a study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, the authors demonstrated the vaccine pellet technology reduced the number of infected ticks by 76% in field conditions. The study authors state:
“Implementation of such a long-term public health measure could substantially reduce the risk of human exposure to Lyme disease.”
This vaccine pellet approach could be complemented by an integrated tick management program that includes mouse and tick-reduction programs, such as those currently employed by pest-management professionals.
ZooHub
ZooHUB is an international partnership to build a predictive analytics toolset to "guide disease prevention", particularly programs to reduce tick-borne diseases. You can find more information here.
Predictive Analytics Proof of Concept
- ZooHUB partners created a proof-of-concept based on decades' of data collected by the State of Connecticut.
- The data included ticks analyzed for Lyme disease infection, weather patterns, and satellite images.
- The results showed an ability to predict infection risk on an acre-by-acre basis with a 95% confidence interval.
- From this proof-of-concept, a larger pilot study is being conducted with larger data sources that include multiple vector species and diseases (e.g., mosquitoes and West Nile disease).
For more information, visit zoohub.org.
Human Health
The World Health Organization estimates 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 severe cases of flu each year, resulting in up to 650,000 flu-related deaths each year.
Vaccines are enormously important but are limited by the need for trained medical professionals, cold-chain equipment, and the need for clean vaccine bottles and needles. Also, a large number of people refuse to take vaccines because of a fear of needles.
US BIOLOGIC and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) Division of Research, Innovation, and Ventures (DRIVe) are developing an oral flu vaccine that doesn’t require refrigeration or needles and can be delivered to your home.
Animal Health
Food animals, including chickens, cattle, and pigs, are enormously important to world health.
However, our agricultural systems are under constant threat of diseases. Further, fewer and fewer treatments are available, as we can no longer rely on antibiotics due to threats of antimicrobial resistance.
Example Oral Delivery Projects:
- Antibiotics alternatives against poultry coccidiosis with partners at the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.
- Vaccines against devastating diseases such as Peste des Petites Ruminants in cattle with the University of Edinburgh.
- Vaccines that kill feeding ticks with the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.
- Vaccines against African Swine Fever, Classical Swine Fever, and Foot & Mouth Disease with the Department of Homeland Security Plum Island Animal Disease Center Science & Technology Directorate.
