Experimental Vaccine LASSARAB Shows Promise in Human Trials for Lassa Fever and Rabies
Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University and the University of Maryland School of Medicine have reported promising results from the first human clinical trial of LASSARAB, an experimental vaccine designed to protect against both Lassa fever and rabies. Published in Nature Medicine, the study indicates that the vaccine was well tolerated and induced strong immune responses in healthy adult volunteers. Lassa fever, a severe hemorrhagic disease endemic to parts of West Africa, currently lacks a licensed vaccine. LASSARAB, based on an inactivated rabies virus vector, aims to fill this gap by leveraging the rabies vaccine's established safety and distribution networks. In a Phase 1 trial involving 54 adults, the vaccine demonstrated a robust immune response, with 100% of recipients developing Lassa virus-specific antibodies and achieving protective levels against rabies. 
