The field of pharmaceutical biotechnology is evolving rapidly. A whole new arsenal of protein pharmaceuticals is being produced by recombinant techniques for cancer, viral infections, cardiovascular and hereditary disorders, and other diseases. In addition, scientists are confronted with new technologies such as polymerase chain reactions, combinatorial chemistry and gene therapy. This introductory textbook provides extensive coverage of both the basic science and the applications of biotechnology-produced pharmaceuticals, with special emphasis on their clinical use. Pharmaceutical Biotechnology serves as a complete one-stop source for undergraduate pharmacists, and it is valuable for researchers and professionals in the pharmaceutical industry as well.

This comprehensive, authoritative treatise covers all aspects of mucosal vaccines including their development, mechanisms of action, molecular/cellular aspects, and practical applications. The contributing authors and editors of this one-of-a-kind book are very well known in their respective fields. Mucosal Vaccines is organized in a unique format in which basic, clinical, and practical aspects of the mucosal immune system for vaccine development are described and discussed. This project is endorsed by the Society for Mucosal Immunology. - Provides the latest views on mucosal vaccines - Applies basic principles to the development of new vaccines - Links basic, clinical, and practical aspects of mucosal vaccines to different infectious diseases - Unique and user-friendly organization

This book is the first of its kind entirely dedicated to carbohydrate vaccines written by renowned scientists with expertise in carbohydrate chemistry and immunochemistry. It covers the synthesis of carbohydrate antigens related to bacteria and parasites such as: Heamophilus influenza, Streptococcus pnemoniae, Shigella flexneri, Candida albicans, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Chlamydia. The first three chapters are of wide interest as they cover fundamental concerns in new vaccine developments. The first one presents the immune system and how carbohydrate antigens are processed before protective antibodies are produced. It also illustrates antigen presentation in the context of major histocompatibility complexes (MHCs). The second chapter describes regulatory issues when carbohydrate vaccines are involved while the third one discuss several techniques used in conjugation chemistry and the implication of certain chemical linkages that may induce unexpected anti-linker antibodies. This section will be particularly appealing for those involved in drug-conjugate design, pro-drug developments, and drug vectorization. The book concludes with one chapter that illustrates the principle through which peptide antigens can functionally mimic carbohydrate epitopes, thus, unraveling the potential for peptide surrogates as replacement for complex carbohydrate structures. This book is unique in that it covers all aspects related to carbohydrate vaccines including the success story with the first semi-synthetic bacterial polysaccharide vaccine against Heamophilus influenza type b responsible for pneumonia and meningitis, liable for more than 600,000 infant deaths worldwide in developing countries. The book also presents regulatory issues and will thus be vital for government agencies approving candidate vaccines. It widely covers synthetic methodologies for the attachment of carbohydrate antigens to peptides and immunogenic protein carriers. Vaccines against bacterial antigens, cancer, and parasites are also discussed by worldwide experts in this field in details. No other book contains such a wide panel of different expertise. It will also be useful to students and researchers involved with the immunology of forreings antigens and how the under appreciated carbohydrate antigens are processed by the immune system.

Dr. Jose Luis Subiza is the founder and CEO of Inmunotek SL. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject.

Overall recent research on TLRs has led to tremendous increase in our understanding of early steps in pathogen recognition and will presumably lead to potent TLR targeting therapeutics in the future. This book reviews and highlights our recent understanding on the function and ligands of TLRs as well as their role in autoimmunity, dendritic cell activation and target structures for therapeutic intervention.

This book presents a detailed overview of the development of new viral vector-based vaccines before discussing two major applications: preventive vaccines for infectious diseases and therapeutic cancer vaccines. Viral vector-based vaccines hold a great potential for development into successful pharmaceutical products and several examples at the advanced pre-clinical or clinical stage are presented. Nevertheless, the most efforts were focused on novel and very innovative technologies for new generation of vector-based vaccines. Furthermore, specific topics such as delivery and adjuvant and protection strategies for cell-mediated-based vaccines are presented. Given its scope, the book is a “must read” for all those involved in vaccine development, both in academia and industrial vaccine development.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of how use of micro- and nanotechnology (MNT) has allowed major new advance in vaccine development research, and the challenges that immunologists face in making further progress. MNT allows the creation of particles that exploit the inherent ability of the human immune system to recognize small particles such as viruses and toxins. In combination with minimal protective epitope design, this permits the creation of immunogenic particles that stimulate a response against the targeted pathogen. The finely tuned response of the human immune system to small particles makes it unsurprising that many of the lead adjuvants and vaccine delivery systems currently under investigation are based on nanoparticles. - Provides a comprehensive and unparalleled overview of the role of micro- and nanotechnology in vaccine development - Allows researchers to quickly familiarize themselves with the broad spectrum of vaccines and how micro- and nanotechnologies are applied to their development - Includes a combination of overview chapters setting out general principles, and focused content dealing with specific vaccines, making it useful to readers from a variety of disciplines

This volume presents detailed laboratory protocols for in vitro synthesis of mRNA with favorable properties, its introduction into cells by a variety of techniques, and the measurement of physiological and clinical consequences such as protein replacement and cancer immunotherapy. Synthetic techniques are described for structural features in mRNA that provide investigational tools such as fluorescence emission, click chemistry, photo-chemical crosslinking, and that produce mRNA with increased stability in the cell, increased translational efficiency, and reduced activation of the innate immune response. Protocols are described for clinical applications such as large-scale transfection of dendritic cells, production of GMP-grade mRNA, redirecting T cell specificity, and use of molecular adjuvants for RNA vaccines. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Synthetic mRNA: Production, Introduction into Cells, and Physiological Consequences is a valuable and cutting-edge resource for both laboratory investigators and clinicians interested in this powerful and rapidly evolving technology.

The induction of antigen-specific immune responses after in vivo transfection with expression plasmids has triggered a revolution of vaccine research. After a first hype, evoked by the fascinating options of this method, clinical studies did not reach the ambitious aims and a phase of disillusion ensued. It became obvious that Gene vaccines displayed a weaker immunogenicity in humans than had been observed in the mouse models. Meanwhile these hurdles have been overcome and gene vaccines undergo a renaissance. The present book gives an update of the “world of naked gene vaccines”, namely DNA and RNA vaccines. Its content ranges from general mechanisms, inherent immunostimulatory properties and the vast potential to modulate immune responses, to recent successful clinical studies and approved veterinary gene vaccines. Beyond the state-of-the-art of genetic immunization, the reader will be stimulated with a chapter addressing “burning questions”.