Foot-and-mouth vaccine breakthrough
Image: Cell infected with FMDV, SourceWire
New methodology has been developed to produce a synthetic vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). The new vaccine does not rely on growing the live infectious virus, and is therefore much safer to produce than traditional vaccines.
The research has been led by Professor David Stuart, life science director at Diamond Light Source, and MRC Professor of structural biology at the University of Oxford, and Dr Bryan Charleston, head of livestock viral diseases programme at the Pirbright Institute.
The new vaccine is made up of tiny protein shells designed to trigger optimum immune response. These have been engineered for increased stability, making the vaccine easier to store and reducing the need for a cold chain. Dr Charleston says this will "greatly increase production capacity and reduce costs," addressing the current problem of undersupply due to costs.
The work could also have implications for the control of other viruses, such as polio. Lead researcher Professor Stuart said: "Unlike the traditional vaccines, there is no chance that the empty shell vaccine could revert to an infectious form.
"This work will have a broad and enduring impact on vaccine development, and the technology should be transferable to viruses from the same family, such as poliovirus and hand foot and mouth disease."
Key results of the research were published in PLOS Pathogens journal last week. Clinical trials on cattle showed the synthetic vaccine is just as effective as current vaccines, and is stable at temperatures of up to 56°C for at least two hours. This has clear advantages in fighting the disease central Africa and some parts of the Middle East and Asia where it is endemic.
Professor Stuart explained that the team are using a methodology developed by Professor Ian Jones of the University of Reading. This involves creating empty protein shells to imitate the protein coat that forms the strong outer layer of the virus.
By combining Diamond's visualisation capabilities with the expertise of Oxford University in structural analysis and computer simulation, the team were able to "visualise something a billion times smaller than a pinhead" and enhance the design of the empty shells "atom by atom". Researchers could also verify that these shells have "essentially the same structure as the native virus".
Commenting on the vaccine, the UK's chief veterinary officer Nigel Gibbens said: "This vaccine is a major breakthrough that has the potential to be an invaluable new weapon in the fight to eradicate foot-and-mouth disease."
Gibbens concluded: "This vaccine has been developed using some truly groundbreaking techniques which are a credit to the quality of British scientists working in the field of animal health."
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
