BIOTEC Awarded 150,000 USD Grant To Develop Novelty Dengue Treatment

Dengue cause severely national and global public health, wellbeing and economic problems particularly in sub-tropical and tropical regions. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 400 million people get dengue fever annually. Studies of dengue vaccine available showed that the vaccine was efficient but only in certain age groups. Moreover, there is currently no antiviral treatment specifically for Dengue fever.

Dr. Romchart Kraivong, a researcher from Molecular Biology of Dengue and Flaviviruses Research Team, Medical Molecular Biotechnology Research Group (IMBG), National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) in collaboration with 1). Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Mahidol Universiy, Thailand, 2). Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University 3). Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, the UK, and 4). Sichuan University, China, and join forces in an attempt to address these challenges. The funded project aims to intracellularly deliver antibodies against dengue E protein into living cells infected with the dengue virus by encapsulating these antibodies into polymersomes. This approach allows direct-acting agents to target the viral protein to prevent viral replication. The key findings of the project will be the first step in development of antibody therapy for DENV treatment.

Supported by the Alliance of International Science Organization, (Project No. ANSO-CR-PP-2021-08).