Ascenion GmbH, the technology transfer partner of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), has supported the negotiations for a licence agreement between the institute and InvivoGen, a global provider of life-science research products. Under the terms of the agreement the company obtains the right to commercialise c-di-AMP as a vaccine adjuvant for research projects. The compound is a second messenger in bacteria, where it plays a crucial role in the coordination of growth and the establishment of bacterial infection. HZI researchers have shown that it can boost cellular immune response when co-administered with vaccines via various routes, including mucosal applications. This makes it an attractive adjuvant for all approaches aiming to establish effective immune protection, involving the mucosa as point of entrance.
The compound is available at preclinical grade from InvivoGen at www.invivogen.com/cdiamp-vaccigrade.
