Prof John Hermon Taylor's NEW Update In March 2008.

From Professor John Hermon-Taylor New Address Details : Division of Nutritional Science, Franklin-Wilkins Building, King’s College London, Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH. UK. UK Tel No : 020 7848 4552. Tel No : + 44 020 7848 4552. email : j.hermon@kcl.ac.uk AN URGENT REQUEST Crohn’s disease (CD) is a severe inflammation of the intestine causing misery to almost 180,000 sufferers in the UK alone, and millions in the rest of the world. In some cases there is a genetic susceptibility, but there is now good scientific evidence that the disease is caused by a pathogen called Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Over a period of 7 years and at a cost of about UK £1.5 million, a research team led by Professor John Hermon-Taylor, has developed a state-of-the-art modern therapeutic anti-MAP vaccine to treat Crohn’s disease by stimulating the body’s own immune system to eradicate the MAP infection. The anti-MAP vaccine will move to clinical trials and market development over the next three years. Over this period there is an absolute scientific requirement for research to develop improved diagnostic tests for MAP in humans. These new tests will be able to establish a clear relationship between attenuation or eradication of the MAP infection and alleviation or cure of the disease. This will establish proof of concept namely that the vaccine against MAP will make people with Crohn’s disease better. This essential piece of scientific research will require £600.000 CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ? If you can, please mail your cheque direct to me payable to “ King’s College London ” with the vaccine code JQA 1036 written on the back of cheque. The cheque can be UK £s or any major currency, Thankyou. March 2008. TAKING THE MODERN ANTI-MAP VACCINE TO TREAT CROHN’S DISEASE THROUGH THE FINAL PHASE What is Crohn’s Disease ? Most people know of someone with Crohn’s disease (CD). The principal manifestation is chronic inflammation of the intestine with pain in the tummy and diarrhoea. CD affects your whole life and that of your family. It is a ‘new’ disease which emerged in the mid 1940’s and has now become common. There are probably more than 180,000 people suffering from it in Britain, rising at the rate of about 5,000 per year. In Europe CD is rising at about 25% per decade. In children the rate of increase is much higher. What causes CD ? The causation of CD has not been fully understood, nor recognised. As a consequence, conventional research and treatment are directed almost exclusively at suppressing the inflammation. This may help in the short term but the disease almost invariably comes back. Most people with CD eventually come to surgery, sometimes on more than one occasion. Epidemiological research has shown that the long term prospects for people with CD have not improved significantly in 35 years. Progress so far Research we began and have continued since 1985, and which is now increasingly being taken up and confirmed by other research laboratories, shows that most of CD is being caused by a bug called MAP (short for Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis). The reliable scientific evidence for this has become very strong. • MAP infection is widespread in animals especially livestock • MAP is transmitted to humans in milk and from exposure to environmental sources like contaminated waters. • MAP in people is difficult to detect. The tests have to be done just right. When they are, almost everyone with CD is found to be infected with MAP. • MAP is what is called in microbiology a “multi-host pathogen” with the scientifically proven ability to cause chronic inflammation of the intestine in many animals including primates. Modern Vaccines MAP IS DOING THE SAME THING TO PEOPLE MAP infections are difficult to eradicate. They are resistant to most antibiotics and drugs used to treat TB. In 1992 I introduced a new treatment for CD using a combination of two recently available drugs more active against MAP called rifabutin and clarithromycin. They work in over 50% of people with active CD who can take them. Relapses sometimes occur. New anti-MAP treatments such as modern therapeutic vaccines are needed. Conventional vaccines make antibodies to prevent disease. They could not work in CD as the MAP bugs are already there inside cells. Modern vaccines make armies of hunter-killer cells which patrol the body getting rid of infected cells. So modern vaccines can be used to treat diseases caused by chronic infections. Where are we now ? We began seeking funding in 2001. Since then we have received and committed over £1.5 million. With this and an awful lot of hard work and good science we have designed and delivered a state-of-the-art modern anti-MAP vaccine. You can find it at : www.plosone.org/doi/pone.0001229 Please Click On Anti MAP Vaccine Link Below, Thankyou. The vaccine consists of a critically important cassette of MAP DNA in two harmless carrier viruses called Ad5 and MVA. These carriers are already working in approved clinical trials with other modern vaccines. In the CD vaccination treatment procedure, the Ad5 is given first and the MVA boost 6 weeks later. In multiple tests in mice over two years, the vaccine has consistently proved to be effective both in treating existing MAP infection and protecting against subsequent MAP infection, without any side effects. What we need We have come a long way and are nearly there. The vaccine will move to clinical trials and market development over the next 3 years. Over this period there is an absolute scientific requirement to develop new quantitative tests for MAP in humans, new immunological tests for MAP in humans, and tests for the specific immune responses of people to the vaccine. Together these tests will establish proof of concept that anti-MAP vaccination can make people with Crohn's disease better and it does so by depleting or eradicating the MAP infection. This final essential piece of scientific research will require. £600.000. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN ? Anti-MAP Vaccine Link Here : - New Anti Map Vaccine