Vaccine to treat gum disease being developed

Biopharmaceutical company CSL Limited today announced that a vaccine to treat severe gum disease is being developed in collaboration with Sanofi Pasteur, a leading manufacturer of vaccines.
Following more than 10 years of research, scientists from The University of Melbourne and CSL, in the Co-operative Research Centre for Oral Health Science, have identified candidate vaccine antigens for periodontitis.
Professor Eric Reynolds, CEO of the Centre, said the vaccine will provide dentists and patients with a less invasive treatment, which prevents diseaseprogression, rather than managing its symptoms and damaging consequences.
Professor Rob Moodie, Professor of Global Health at the Nossal Institute for Global Health at the university, commented that periodontitis poses a significant public health issue. "Its association with other health problems, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, meansthat prevention and early treatment through a vaccine will have widespread health benefits,” he said.
The vaccine development program involves identifying the bacterial peptides and proteins that trigger the immune response, and using these as the basis of vaccines.
The announcement received national news coverage.