Fungal infections have become a significant public health issue and have led to the development of new vaccines to address this issue. These infections can be life-threatening, especially for individuals with weakened immune systems. The development of new vaccines is an important step in combating the spread of these infections and improving public health outcomes.
A new vaccine developed by the University of Georgia could be the first clinically approved immunization to protect against invasive fungal infections, which are becoming more common as antifungal drug resistance grows.
Every year, fungal infections kill over 1.5 million people and cost billions of dollars. According to a previous UGA study, they also double hospitalization costs, length of hospital stays, and risk of death in hospitalized patients. However, there are currently no effective vaccines available to protect vulnerable patients from fungal infections.
“There’s a significant unmet clinical need for this kind of prevention and also treatment, particularly among immunocompromised individuals,” said Karen Norris, lead investigator on the new study and professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine. “The patient population at risk for invasive fungal infections has increased significantly over the last several years.”
There’s a significant unmet clinical need for this kind of prevention and also treatment, particularly among immunocompromised individuals. The patient population at risk for invasive fungal infections has increased significantly over the last several years.
Karen Norris
The experimental vaccine is intended to provide protection against the three most common fungal pathogens, which account for more than 80% of fatal fungal infections. The vaccine’s efficacy was evaluated in four preclinical animal models, including nonhuman primates.
For the study, the researchers used various immunosuppressed models with drug regimens similar to those used by transplant recipients, HIV patients, and cancer patients, who are among the most vulnerable human populations.
The vaccine was effective in developing protective antibodies in each of the models. “Because it targets three different pathogens, the vaccine has the potential to be groundbreaking regarding invasive fungal infections,” said Norris, who is also faculty in the university’s Center for Vaccines and Immunology. “Plans are underway to develop the vaccine for a Phase I (human) safety trial.”
More people at risk of fungal infections than just immunocompromised
Fungal infections are most common in people with immune disorders, such as those with uncontrolled HIV or those who have had their immunity compromised by therapies such as chemotherapy or anti-inflammatories. However, previous research from Norris, postdoctoral fellow Emily Rayens, and José Cordero of the College of Public Health in 2022 revealed that the at-risk population has grown in recent years.
People with diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (or COPD), or co-infections such as COVID-19, tuberculosis, or flu are also at a higher risk of developing fungal infections, according to the findings of the study.
The first line of defense is typical treatment with azoles, which are broad-spectrum anti-fungal medications. But antifungal resistance is growing. As a result, fungal infections are becoming more difficult to treat, making prevention even more critical, Norris said.
The new vaccine is designed to combat the three most common fungal infections: Aspergillus, Candida, and Pneumocystis. Candida, in particular, is becoming a growing source of concern in the medical community as different strains of the fungus develop multidrug resistance. In animal models, the vaccine demonstrated broad, cross-protective antifungal immunity, which bodes well for future clinical trials.
“This has been an area of research that has been underdeveloped for a long time,” said Norris, who is also the Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Immunology and Translational Biomedicine. “There are very large populations at risk of invasive fungal infections, and despite significant efforts to develop vaccines, none have yet been approved. We believe that this is an excellent vaccine candidate.”
