Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics Composite Peptide Vaccine Combats Sepsis Related to Antimicrobial Resistant Tuberculosis

BETHESDA, Md. & GAITHERSBURG, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics, a One Health company developing vaccines and diagnostic tools for global public health and zoonosis concerns, presented new data at the Union World Conference on Lung Health on LHNVD-303, the company's composite peptide vaccine for sepsis. LHNVD-303 is designed to prevent bacterial infections, and clear associated toxins, including those related to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, using a targeted combination of lipoteichoic acid, lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan. The Union World Conference on Lung Health is taking place in-person in Bali, Indonesia from November 12-16, 2024.

Bacterial infection causes sepsis, an uncontrolled inflammatory response that leads to multiple organ dysfunction and death. Multi-drug resistant bacterial pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis are a global threat to human and animal health. Therapies beyond antibiotics such as vaccines and monoclonal antibodies have emerged as promising, preventative strategies for sepsis due to tuberculosis and anti-microbial resistant infections. Peptide vaccines with epitopes specific to gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria could provide novel approaches to combat this infection.

In the preclinical study titled “A Composite Peptide Vaccine Targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Gram-positive and Gram-negative Bacteria May Provide Useful Strategies to Combat Tuberculosis and Sepsis, and Mitigate Antimicrobial Resistance,” Longhorn demonstrated that as an unconjugated composite peptide vaccine comprising LPS, PGN, and LTA epitopes and a universal T-cell epitope, LHNVD-303 generated broadly reactive serum antibodies to various bacteria, including mycobacteria.

“Antimicrobial resistant bacteria are becoming a leading cause of bacterial infections worldwide requiring new approaches to prevent and treat,” said Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics President Jeff Fischer. “Peptide-based vaccines such as LHNVD-303 and the corresponding monoclonal antibodies have shown promise for active and passive immunization as well as treatment, providing a strategy that synergizes with antibiotics. We look forward to seeing additional results as we continue to study the impact of LHNVD-303 on sepsis and other debilitating inflammatory diseases.”

For more information about Longhorn, visit www.LHNVD.com.

About Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics

Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics is a closely held One Health company based in Maryland that is developing broad coverage vaccines and diagnostic tools for worldwide public health concerns such as anti-microbial resistance, sepsis and to prevent future pandemics. Since its inception in 2006, Longhorn has focused on developing broad coverage vaccines and diagnostic tools that can impact a pandemic on a global scale and at all socio-economic levels. Since pandemics flow between humans and animals, Longhorn products play a significant role to surveil, diagnose, prevent and treat the next infectious disease.

Longhorn’s core diagnostic product, PrimeStore® Molecular Transport Medium (MTM), is a patented, FDA cleared, state-of-the-art ambient temperature molecular diagnostic collection and transport device that can help governments, global health organizations, and drug manufacturers improve the diagnosis and treatment of highly infectious diseases such as Influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB). Unlike standard devices for collecting and transporting virus samples, PrimeStore® MTM is the first molecular transport device that can safely deactivate pathogens and stabilize RNA and DNA, allowing enhanced point of care and ambient temperature transport for laboratory based molecular testing and characterization.