(ISOLDA)
Improved Vaccination Strategies for Older Adults

Project summary

ISOLDA aims at the development of improved vaccines for older adults against viral diseases with highest burdens at old age, by promoting virus-specific T cell responses in vaccines over 65 years, using modulators of T cell immunosenescence and inflammageing. It builds on leading interdisciplinary expertise and knowledge of ISOLDA partners in virology, (onco-)immunology, ageing and immunosenescence, to assess the potential of immunomodulators, including kinase inhibitors licensed for other human use, to improve vaccine-induced immune responses and safety in older adults. They will investigate ex-vivo signatures of immunological ageing and restoring potential of selected compounds on vaccine-induced immune responses against influenza virus, using PBMC from past and on-going adult and ageing human cohorts of influenza vaccines. Cohorts of vaccines and/or patients for tick-borne encephalitis, Middle-East respiratory syndrome and yellow fever are also uniquely available to ISOLDA to demonstrate broad applicability of the approach. The most promising compounds will be tested in in-vivo animal models for vaccination against these diseases.

As a clinical proof of concept, ISOLDA will aim at improving efficacy of current seasonal influenza vaccines up to a tiered phase I clinical trial with a lead immunomodulator compound selected from the ex vivo and in vivo studies, that will be added to current vaccine formulations.

ISOLDA will provide innovative solutions to reduced

efficacy and safety of preventive vaccines in the increasing population of older adults, against viral infections that have the highest impact in this age group.