Development of DuoChol Vaccine Aims to Enhance Cholera Control Efforts
A new thermostable oral cholera vaccine, DuoChol, has been developed to address the limitations of current vaccines. Cholera, a significant global health threat, causes approximately 4 million cases and 140,000 deaths annually. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared cholera a Grade 3 emergency due to large epidemics in regions like the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. DuoChol is designed to be more stable and effective, with a lyophilized dry-powder formulation in enteric capsules. It contains formalin-inactivated Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor Ogawa and Inaba isogenic bacteria, recombinant cholera toxin B subunit, and sucrose as a stabilizer. The vaccine has shown promising results in preclinical evaluations, maintaining stability across a range of temperatures and eliciting strong immune responses in mice.