# Development of mucosal vaccines to protect against pertussis

> **NIH NIH R01** · WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $529,130

## Abstract

Project Summary
Bordetella pertussis is a Gram-negative pathogen that is the primary cause of the disease whooping cough
(pertussis). Whole cell pertussis vaccines (wPs: DTP; Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) were developed in the
1940s. In the 1990's, however, the whole cell vaccines, which had undesirable side effects, were replaced with
acellular vaccines (aPs: infant dose-DTaP and booster dose-Tdap), containing three to five virulence-associated
proteins (pertussis toxoid, filamentous hemagglutinin, pertactin, and fimbriae) adsorbed to aluminum adjuvant.
Since the 1990s, there has been a resurgence in pertussis cases in the US and world which has augmented the
need for new and more efficacious vaccines.
This proposal seeks to utilize the murine and baboon models to develop an intranasal booster vaccine by building
upon how the current acellular vaccines are formulated. We have demonstrated that intranasal immunization
with acellular vaccine in mice can protect against B. pertussis challenge. The proposed vaccine utilizes curdlan
(linear beta-1,3-glucan) as the adjuvant and includes a new toxoid antigen that will direct humoral responses
that will neutralize the adenylate cyclase toxin.
In this project, we will optimize the adjuvant / antigen composition of Intranasal curdlan acellular Pertussis
vaccine (IN-caP) to protect against B. pertussis challenge in the pre-clinical murine model (aim 1). Once we
have established the optimized IN-caP vaccine we will also evaluate the protective capacity in the baboon model
of pertussis. In aim 2, we will characterize the IN-caP cell mediated responses in comparison to IP-aP immunized
mice. In the third aim, we will examine IN-caP boost as a mechanism to synergistically improve sub-optimal IP-
aP vaccination. At the completion of the project, we expect to have formulated a new class of acellular pertussis
vaccine that can be further developed towards clinical trials. It is also likely that the methodologies established
will be applicable to develop of vaccines against other bacterial pathogens.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10333333
- **Project number:** 5R01AI137155-04
- **Recipient organization:** WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Fredrick Heath Damron
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $529,130
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-02-15 → 2024-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10333333

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10333333, Development of mucosal vaccines to protect against pertussis (5R01AI137155-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10333333. Licensed CC0.

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