T Cell Sciences Gets 2nd NIH Grant For Atherosclerosis Vaccine

T Cell Sciences has been awarded a grant for a further $100,000 fromthe US National Institutes of Health for a novel vaccine intended to reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis. The NIH awarded a similar $100,000 grant to the company in 1996.

The vaccine, which is based on naked DNA, is designed to produce antibodies against cholesteryl ether transfer protein (CETP), which is thought to mediate the balance between low-density and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the circulation. Several risk factors, including high levels of LDL and low levels of HDL, are known to contribute to the development of atherosclerotic lesions.

"Inhibition of CETP activity will result in a high HDL, low LDL profile and can be expected to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, and possibly prevent or reverse progression of the disease," said T Cell Sciences in a statement. In preliminary studies, treated rabbits exhibited an increase in the level of HDL and revealed relatively lesion-free blood vessels, while untreated rabbits showed no increase in HDL levels and developed significant blood vessel lesions.