Under the terms of the contract, DVC will develop and optimize preclinical testing models, assess immune response and develop new tularemia vaccine candidates.
The company will collaborate on this project with Umea University in Sweden, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory in Britain (a component of the Ministry of Defence), and the National Research Council of Canada.
Tularemia is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium francisella tularensis, which has been identified as a potential biological threat agent. Tularemia is extremely infectious, with disease resulting from exposure to as few as 10 organisms. Inhalation of tularemia leads to a form of pneumonia that can cause significant rates of mortality if untreated.
“These properties make tularemia one of the top potential candidates for an agent of biowarfare or bioterrorism,” said DVC chief scientific officer Dr Robert House. “Our team is well-positioned to make great advances in developing a safe and effective vaccine against this dangerous organism.”