LUNA INNOVATIONS INCORPORATED — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase I: NIAID

Description

Extensive efforts have gone towards safe and effective vaccines for Human Immunodeficiency VirusHIVprevention and treatmentAlthough many strategies have been attempted for HIV vaccine developmentnone have been successfully establishedOne category of vaccines gaining increased popularity is RNA based vaccineswhich are vaccines containing antigens encoded by RNA and can be delivered by viral or using non viral delivery systemsThis type of vaccine has the potential to be safesince it does not have the risk of reversion to a pathogenic state and may not require the addition of potent pro inflammatory adjuvantsRNA vaccines can be effectiveas they mimic a live infection by expressing antigens in situ after immunizationRNA vaccines are also cost effective because they can be produced by utilizing generic manufacturing processesDespite many advantagesRNA vaccines encounter significant challenges in terms of delivery to cellsinstability in storage and in vivoas well as issues with large scale manufacturabilityLuna proposes to develop a layer by layerLBLnano carrier for delivery of RNA as a kind of effective vaccine for HIV preventionLuna s RNA vaccine gains its edge over existing technologies because of its enhanced deliveryincreased stabilityand controlled release for long lasting HIV prevention