A DNA vaccine delivered by dermal electroporation fully protects cynomolgus macaques against Lassa fever.

ABSTRACT: Lassa virus (LASV) is an ambisense RNA virus in the Arenaviridae family and is the etiological agent of Lassa fever, a severe hemorrhagic disease endemic to West and Central Africa. ^1,2 There are no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-licensed vaccines available to prevent Lassa fever. ^1,2 in our previous studies, we developed a gene-optimized DNA vaccine that encodes the glycoprotein precursor gene of LASV (Josiah strain) and demonstrated that 3 vaccinations accompanied by dermal electroporation protected guinea pigs from LASV-associated illness and death. Here, we describe an initial efficacy experiment in cynomolgus macaque nonhuman primates (NHPs) in which we followed an identical 3-dose vaccine schedule that was successful in guinea pigs, and a follow-on experi

SUBMITTER: Cashman KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5718832 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature