Touchlight, an innovation-driven contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in enzymatic DNA production, is proud to announce the clinical supply of its proprietary dbDNA? to the University of Nottingham for research and development of a next-generation DNA vaccine targeting the Zika virus.

Scientists from the University of Nottingham are leading the development of a Zika virus DNA vaccine that can be manufactured within weeks and safely deployed globally in future epidemics. Dr James Dixon in the School of Pharmacy and Professor Janet Daly, director of the University of Nottingham’s Wolfson Centre for Global Virus Research are leading the programme.

Many DNA vaccines in development require devices to deliver the vaccine through the skin, with an injectable DNA vaccine being the target route of administration. The Nottingham team has developed a solution to this problem by developing a proprietary DNA formulation so it can be given by a simple injection. The project will involve the use of synthetic manufacture of the vaccine rather than bacterial fermentation, cutting the development time from 6 months to 6 weeks.  

Touchlight’s enzymatic dbDNA technology represents a breakthrough in DNA production and offers a rapid, efficient and scalable method ideal for vaccine development. dbDNA offers the potential to reduce dose, eliminate antibiotic resistance and provide a solution for low cost, stable vaccines for the developing world.  Touchlight will provide GMP dbDNA material for the clinical study.  

Further advantages of DNA vaccines are their ability to be produced rapidly and cheaply, without the requirement for the cold-chain storage applicable to mRNA vaccines. This makes DNA vaccines ideal for responding to future disease outbreaks, especially in less economically developed regions.

This innovative project is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) as part of the UK Vaccine Network, a UK aid programme dedicated to developing vaccines for diseases with epidemic potential in low and middle-income countries.

Dr James Dixon commented: “The Touchlight technology has enabled us to make rapid progress and will make it possible to produce large quantities of the DNA vaccine at speed which is vital in pandemic prevention and our response to deployment of vaccines in the developing world and globally. It will be hugely exciting to complete the pre-clinical trials and take us into the final stages with clinical trials and seeing real-world impact.”

Tommy Duncan, Touchlight Chief Operating Officer, commented: “We are thrilled to support the University of Nottingham with our innovative dbDNA technology in the development of a Zika virus DNA vaccine. We are committed to enabling developers of DNA vaccines by providing rapid, high purity DNA for vaccines against emerging pathogens.”

This research was funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) as part of the UK Vaccine Network, a UK Aid programme to develop vaccines for diseases with epidemic potential in low and middle-income countries.

About Touchlight

Touchlight is a privately-owned innovation-driven CDMO based in London, U.K., focused on the provision of DNA services and manufacture of enzymatically produced doggybone DNA (dbDNA?) to enable the development of genetic medicines. Touchlight provide rapid, enzymatic DNA development and manufacturing for all advanced therapy production, including mRNA, viral and non-viral gene therapy and DNA API. dbDNA is a minimal, linear, covalently closed structure, which eliminates bacterial sequences. Touchlight’s revolutionary enzymatic production platform enables unprecedented speed, scale, and the ability to target genes with a size and complexity that is impossible with current technologies. Clients can be supported from pre-clinical through development and supply, to licencing and tech transfer for use in-house.?

About the University of Nottingham

Ranked 24 in Europe and 15th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024– the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The University is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The University is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research. We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.

About the UK Vaccine Network

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) is the UK Government department which is responsible for helping people to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. This investment is part of the UK Vaccine Network (UKVN). UKVN was established to provide funding to support the development of promising vaccines and vaccine technologies that will help combat infectious diseases that have epidemic potential in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). UKVN is a UK Aid investment, which means all projects funded must support research primarily and directly for the benefit of people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

This research is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care using UK Aid funding and is managed by Innovate UK. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Department of Health and Social Care.