EpiVax team publishes research on H7N9 flu; plans vaccines

EPIVAX FOUNDER Dr. Anne S. De Groot and her team have published the results of their research on the new H7N9 flu, which led them to develop four separate vaccine recipes. / PBN FILE PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY
EPIVAX FOUNDER Dr. Anne S. De Groot and her team have published the results of their research on the new H7N9 flu, which led them to develop four separate vaccine recipes. / PBN FILE PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

PROVIDENCE – A research paper on the emerging threat from the H7N9 flu, written by Dr. Annie De Groot and her team at EpiVax, has been published by the journal Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics.
The article, “Low immunogenicity predicted for emerging avian-origin H7N9: Implication for influenza vaccine design,” detailed how De Groot and her team used well-established immunoinformatics tools to analyze the H7N9 protein sequences.
The research found that protein derived from closely related human-derived H7N9 strains contain fewer T cell epitopes than other recently circulating strains of influenza.
Based on that research, De Groot and her team have developed four separate vaccine recipes that are now in production.
EpiVax, a Providence-based bioscience firm, celebrated its 15th birthday on May 17 at its headquarters in the city’s Knowledge District. •

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