The professor of microbiology and researcher at Microbacteria Genetics group at the University of Zaragoza, Carlos Martin, explained at what stage are the first trials of the MTBVAC. The conference held on June 7 is part of the series of seminars IDIBELL.

Martin explained the process of creating the vaccine, the first with attenuated TB bacillus and how at first it was difficult because ” Nobody believed that an attenuated strain of tuberculosis could reach to clinic ” He says he had to meet the requirements agreed in Geneva to the use of live vaccines, i.e. strains must submit two genetic modifications so that it cannot regain virulence.

The MTBVAC is a vaccine that seeks to activate the immune system to be able to recognize the infectious agent and long-term protection against the most common form of the disease: respiratory. The current BCG vaccine protects against different forms of TB in children, but their protection in adult pulmonary tuberculosis is highly variable.

The idea of ​​Carlos Martin is that this new vaccine to replace BCG. Currently, Martin vaccine is in phase I clinical trial to test the safety and immunogenicity at the Hospital of the University of Vaudois (Lausanne, Switzerland).