Graves' Disease Vaccine Strategy Identified

According to researchers from Beijing, China, the rhesus monkey hyperthyroid model successfully proved the hyperthyroidism vaccine is effective.

This finding by the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, published on July 31, 2019, presents a solid research foundation for hyperthyroidism vaccine candidates, as well as the prevention of hyperthyroidism.

In this news article by Xinhua, these China researchers successfully found that injecting vaccines into the rhesus monkey when it is born could reduce its incidence of hyperthyroidism. 

Additionally, they reported that vaccines could prevent primates from hyperthyroidism, and the prevention rate was over 90 percent in monkeys.

This is an important finding since rhesus monkeys have similar physiological and pathological processes and immune responses to humans. This means monkeys are helpful in testing hyperthyroidism vaccine candidates.

Furthermore, the ratio of women versus men diagnosed with Graves' disease is 6:1 and around 2 percent of all women will develop Graves' disease during their lifetime.

As of July 31, 2019, there is not an approved preventive vaccine available for Graves' Disease.

Graves' Disease

Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It is due to an abnormal immune system response that causes the thyroid gland to produce too much thyroid hormone.

An underactive thyroid leads to hypothyroidism, says the National Institutes of Health.

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Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder that leads to an overactive thyroid gland, called hyperthyroidism. An autoimmune disorder is a condition that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue.

Graves' Disease Causes

The thyroid gland is an important organ of the endocrine system. The gland is located at the front of the neck above where the collarbones meet. This gland releases the hormones thyroxine, and triiodothyronine, which controls body metabolism. 

Controlling metabolism is important for regulating mood, weight, and mental and physical energy levels.

Graves' Disease Treatments

Doctors don't know what causes Graves' disease, but the fact that it tends to run in families indicates that the disease may have a genetic component.

Graves' disease impacts approximately 10 million patients across Europe and the USA. In some cases, Graves' disease goes into remission or disappears completely. Left untreated, however, it can lead to serious complications -- even death.

Graves' disease symptoms can include an enlargement of the thyroid gland, swelling of the neck, localized abnormalities of the skin, tremors, heat intolerance and sweating, significant weight loss, osteoporosis, atrial fibrillation and ocular changes in patients.

There are 3 treatment options: medicine, radioiodine therapy, and thyroid surgery according to the NIH.

Graves' Disease vaccine candidate

Apitope announced in April 2018 positive results from the Phase I first in man clinical trial of its vaccine candidate, ATX-GD-59, for development for the treatment of Graves' disease.

This Apitope press release indicated the Phase I data show early efficacy in the majority of patients and a very favorable safety profile.

The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University is a comprehensive tertiary class-A hospital in Northwest China, under the supervision of the National Health and Family Planning Commission. It is one of the select hospitals honored with the tertiary class-A rank in China, and has been one of the first national "One Hundred Exemplary Hospitals".