ViRexx has also designed several Chimigen™ vaccines for Hepatitis C
virus (HCV) and is currently in the R&D stage for two of the
candidates. HCV is transmitted through blood and body fluids and can
produce infection causing hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. An
estimated 170 million people are chronically infected with HCV – more
than four times as many as are infected with HIV. HCV is the number one
reason for liver transplants and is expected to become a major burden
on the health care system. There is no vaccine available that will
prevent or cure HCV.
ViRexx plans to use the NRC/ASTech prize to hire a final year
undergraduate or a recent graduate in biological sciences to work on
developing a novel HCV vaccine using Chimigen™ platform and the protein
HCV NS3, believed to be necessary in establishing HCV infections. This
vaccine will be compared with the two other vaccines being developed
and the best candidate will be selected for further development.