This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) focuses on developing a potent broad-spectrum prophylactic for tick-borne diseases. The $300,000 award to Planet Biotechnology Incorporated aims to improve the bioavailability, safety, and longevity of a protein-based treatment called FC3/SCR(19-20), which has shown promise in preventing the transmission of Lyme disease and relapsing fever bacteria to mice from infected ticks.
The project brings together Planet Biotechnology, which will use plant-based production methods to create variants of the FC3/SCR(19-20) protein, and a research group at the New York State Department of Health, which will test the efficacy of these variants in vitro and in mouse models. The goal is to develop FC3/SCR(19-20) as an FDA-approved injectable treatment for providing season-long protection against these tick-borne diseases. If successful, this could significantly improve quality of life for individuals living or working in high-risk areas.