Improving understanding of lung immunity in tuberculosis to establish a diverse, innovative TB vaccine pipeline targeting mucosal immunity

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most devastating infectious diseases worldwide, killing over 4,000 people every day. Prevention of tuberculosis infection by novel vaccines would provide the most cost-effective approach to achieve the goals of the WHO End TB strategy and the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

While there are few promising TB vaccine candidates available, innovation by new platforms and strategies is needed to ensure that the most effective and affordable vaccines are developed.

TBVACHORIZON will innovate and diversify the global TB vaccine pipeline by pursuing four objectives:

1. Define the composition, spatial organisation and functioning of protective immune responses in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected lung.

2. Evaluate whether mucosal re-vaccination with BCG and other live attenuated vaccines improves protective efficacy against tuberculosis infection in mice, non-human primates and humans.

3. Identify host immune response profiles and biomarkers of natural and vaccine-induced immune protection in the lung.

4. Support next generation TB vaccine development by standardised head-to-head testing of selected vaccine candidates in animals and the establishment of novel delivery systems, adjuvant formulations and GMP platforms for live attenuated vaccines.

TBVACHORIZON will increase our understanding and develop tools pertaining to immune protection in the lung, the major site of tuberculosis infection. This knowledge will be exploited to develop mucosal strategies for translating towards clinical evaluation and possible implementation. The interwoven activities will consolidate Europe’s leading role in TB vaccine research and innovation, with the ultimate goal of accelerated availability of affordable, accessible and more effective TB vaccines.