HOUSTON, July 28, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The
Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for
Vaccine Development, also known as the Sabin product development
partnership (Sabin PDP), a major research component of the National
School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, received
a grant of $1.8 million from the
Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation. The grant
will fund accelerated development of the first therapeutic vaccine
for Chagas disease in humans, in a development program under the
direction of Drs. Peter Hotez, Texas
Children's Hospital endowed chair in Tropical Pediatrics, and
Maria Elena Bottazzi, deputy
director of Sabin PDP. For more information about the Center for
Vaccine Development and the Sabin PDP, click here.
"Chagas has become a serious health issue especially for the
population of South Texas," said
Hotez. "Thanks to the support and confidence of the Robert J.
Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation, we will be able to
speed the research and development needed to create a vaccine for
Chagas."
Chagas disease is considered one of the five neglected parasitic
infections in the United States,
with tens of thousands of cases in Texas alone. The disease is caused by
parasitic microorganisms known as trypanosomes that can destroy
heart tissue leading to a condition known as Chagasic
cardiomyopathy. Insect vectors known as triatomines, or blood
sucking bugs, which are widespread throughout Texas, transmit the trypanosome parasite.
Of those infected by Chagas, 20 to 30 percent will develop
Chagastic cardiomyopathy, which can cause heart failure and sudden
death. In addition, a large number of pregnant women are also
infected with Chagas disease causing thousands of cases of
congenital infection. Chagas disease is also an important
veterinary problem in Texas
especially among dogs in South
Texas. The successful development and testing of this
therapeutic vaccine will be instrumental in order to improve
thousands of lives and save Texans up to hundreds of millions of
dollars in health care costs.
A primary focus of the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C.
Kleberg Foundation is to improve quality of life in South Texas communities. Funding by the
Foundation is competitive with a strict set of guidelines for
determining if an institution will be awarded a grant. Being
awarded funding demonstrates the Foundation's belief that the Sabin
Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Center for Vaccine
Development will be successful in their research and development,
and carry on the vision of Bob and Helen
Kleberg in Texas.
About Texas Children's Hospital
Texas Children's
Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed
to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout
the global community by leading in patient care, education and
research. Consistently ranked as the best children's hospital
in Texas, and among the top in the
nation, Texas Children's has garnered widespread recognition for
its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women's health.
The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research
Institute; the Feigin Center for pediatric research; Texas
Children's Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive
obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas
Children's Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban
West Houston; and Texas Children's
Hospital The Woodlands, a second community hospital planned to open
in 2017. The organization also created the nation's first HMO for
children, has the largest pediatric primary care network in the
country and a global health program that's channeling care to
children and women all over the world. Texas Children's Hospital is
affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more
information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by
visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at
twitter.com/texaschildrens.
Christy Brunton
832-824-2645
clbrunto@texaschildrens.org
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/texas-childrens-hospital-center-for-vaccine-development-awarded-grant-to-develop-therapeutic-vaccine-for-chagas-disease-300120029.html
SOURCE Texas Children's Hospital