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University of Texas Medical Branch Develops Single-Dose mRNA Vaccine for Andes Hantavirus

University of Texas Medical Branch Develops Single-Dose mRNA Vaccine for Andes Hantavirus

Researchers at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) have developed a single-dose mRNA vaccine that provides full protection against the Andes hantavirus in a Syrian hamster model. The Andes virus, which can spread efficiently from person to person, recently caused an outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship, infecting 13 people and resulting in three deaths. The outbreak highlighted the urgent need for a vaccine, as there are currently no approved preventive treatments for the virus. The UTMB team had previously tested two mRNA vaccines using a two-dose regimen, but recognizing the need for rapid response in outbreak situations, they retested the vaccines for single-dose efficacy. The results showed that a single shot provided 100% protection against a lethal dose of the virus, even at reduced dosages.
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Cambridge Completes AI-Designed Universal Coronavirus Vaccine Trial

Cambridge Completes AI-Designed Universal Coronavirus Vaccine Trial

Researchers at the University of Cambridge and DIOSynVax have completed a Phase 1 trial of a vaccine designed entirely by artificial intelligence. The trial involved 39 healthy volunteers and found the DNA-delivered vaccine to be safe and well tolerated, with no significant adverse events. The vaccine generated immune responses against SARS-CoV-2, SARS, and related bat coronaviruses. This AI-created super-antigen is compatible with multiple delivery platforms, marking a significant milestone in applied protein/antigen design. However, further trials are needed to prove efficacy against infection.
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Cambridge University Completes Trial of AI-Designed Universal Coronavirus Vaccine

Cambridge University Completes Trial of AI-Designed Universal Coronavirus Vaccine

Researchers at the University of Cambridge, in collaboration with DIOSynVax, have completed a Phase 1 trial of a universal coronavirus vaccine designed using artificial intelligence. The trial involved 39 healthy volunteers and demonstrated that the DNA-delivered vaccine was safe and well-tolerated, with no significant adverse events reported. The vaccine generated immune responses against SARS-CoV-2, SARS, and related bat coronaviruses. The AI-designed super-antigen is noted for its compatibility with multiple delivery platforms, marking a significant advancement in vaccine development technology.
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Experimental Vaccine LASSARAB Shows Promise in Human Trials

Experimental Vaccine LASSARAB Shows Promise in Human Trials

Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University and the University of Maryland School of Medicine have reported successful results from the first human clinical trial of LASSARAB, an experimental vaccine designed to protect against both Lassa fever and rabies. The trial, published in Nature Medicine, demonstrated that the vaccine was well tolerated and induced strong immune responses in healthy adult volunteers. Lassa fever is a severe disease endemic to parts of West Africa, causing significant morbidity and mortality. The LASSARAB vaccine uses an inactivated rabies virus vector to express the Lassa virus glycoprotein, leveraging the rabies vaccine's established safety and distribution networks.
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Experimental Vaccine LASSARAB Shows Promise in Human Trial for Lassa Fever and Rabies

Experimental Vaccine LASSARAB Shows Promise in Human Trial 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 is a severe hemorrhagic disease endemic to parts of West Africa, causing significant morbidity and mortality. The LASSARAB vaccine uses an inactivated rabies virus vector to express the Lassa virus glycoprotein complex, leveraging the rabies vaccine's established safety and distribution networks. In a randomized Phase 1 trial, 54 adults received varying doses of LASSARAB or a licensed rabies vaccine as a control. The vaccine demonstrated a robust immune response, with all recipients developing Lassa virus-specific antibodies and achieving protective levels of rabies virus-neutralizing antibodie...
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Experimental Vaccine LASSARAB Shows Promise in Human Trials for Lassa Fever and Rabies

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.
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University of Maryland Researchers Report Promising Results in Dual Lassa-Rabies Vaccine Trial

University of Maryland Researchers Report Promising Results in Dual Lassa-Rabies Vaccine Trial

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health have announced encouraging interim results from a clinical trial testing a new dual vaccine against Lassa fever and rabies. The trial, which is the first of its kind, found the vaccine to be safe and capable of inducing immune responses against both viruses. This development is significant as there are currently no vaccines available for Lassa fever, a disease that poses a major public health threat in West Africa. The vaccine, known as LASSARAB, was developed using an inactivated rabies virus platform and has shown promising results in early trials, with no serious adverse events reported.
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University of Maryland Reports Promising Results from Dual Lassa-Rabies Vaccine Trial

University of Maryland Reports Promising Results from Dual Lassa-Rabies Vaccine Trial

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health have announced encouraging interim results from a clinical trial testing a new dual vaccine against Lassa fever and rabies. The study found that the vaccine, which combines targets for both viruses, is safe and induces immune responses. This trial is significant as there are currently no vaccines available for Lassa fever, a disease that poses a major health threat in West Africa. The vaccine, known as LASSARAB, was tested on 54 healthy adult volunteers in the Baltimore area, who received two doses 28 days apart. The results showed that the vaccine was safe and elicited strong antibody responses against both viruses. The trial is ongoing, with further safety and immune response evaluations planned over a 394-day period.
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University of Maryland Researchers Report Promising Results for Dual Lassa-Rabies Vaccine

University of Maryland Researchers Report Promising Results for Dual Lassa-Rabies Vaccine

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health have announced encouraging interim results from a clinical trial testing a new dual vaccine against Lassa fever and rabies. The study found the vaccine to be safe and capable of inducing immune responses against both viruses. This development is significant as there are currently no vaccines available for Lassa fever, a disease identified by the World Health Organization as a public health threat in Western Africa. The trial involved 54 healthy adult volunteers from the Baltimore area, who received different doses of the vaccine. The results showed that the vaccine was safe, with no serious adverse events reported, and it induced robust antibody responses against both Lassa and rabies viruses.
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SK Bioscience Collaborates with CDC to Develop Injectable Rotavirus Vaccine

SK Bioscience Collaborates with CDC to Develop Injectable Rotavirus Vaccine

SK bioscience, a global vaccine and biotech company, has entered into a license agreement with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop an injectable rotavirus vaccine. This collaboration marks the first time a Korean company has received vaccine technology from the CDC. The project is supported by the RIGHT Foundation, a public-private partnership in Korea, and aims to enhance vaccine efficacy and reduce costs. Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe diarrhea and dehydration in children under five, with most deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. The injectable vaccine is expected to provide stronger protection than existing oral formulations, which have shown reduced effectiveness in these regions.
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Newborn at Congo orphanage dies of Ebola, highlighting risks faced by children

Newborn at Congo orphanage dies of Ebola, highlighting risks faced by children

By Gradel Muyisa , Benoit Nyemba and Emma Farge BUNIA, Democratic Republic of Congo, June 10 (Reuters) - After her mother died in late May, baby Buswaza was brought to a church-run orphanage in eastern Congo where the nuns quickly discovered the newborn was running a fever.
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Hamlet BioPharma Develops Non-Antibiotic Therapies Targeting Host Disease Response

Hamlet BioPharma Develops Non-Antibiotic Therapies Targeting Host Disease Response

Hamlet BioPharma, in collaboration with researchers from Lund University, has developed new drug candidates, NlpD and LytM, that offer a non-antibiotic approach to treating bacterial infections. These drugs work by inhibiting the host's disease response rather than targeting the bacteria directly. The study, published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, highlights the potential of these therapies to treat infections, including those caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, by targeting RNA Polymerase II (Pol II), a critical enzyme in the host's transcriptional machinery. This approach aims to suppress excessive immune responses, such as cytokine storms, which can cause tissue damage during infections. The research demonstrated that these treatments reduced disease severity and accelerated bacterial clearance in animal models.