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Ecofect Press release - 03 October 2019

On The October 3, 2019

Mateo et al. generated live-attenuated LASV vaccines based on measles virus and Mopeia virus platforms and expressing different LASV antigens, with the aim to develop a vaccine able to protect after a single shot.

The team of Sylvain Baize (CIRI, Institut Pasteur, LabEx Ecofect) compared the efficacy of these vaccines against LASV in cynomolgus monkeys. The vaccines were well tolerated and protected the animals from LASV infection and disease after a single immunization but with varying efficacy. The most efficacious vaccine candidate, a measles vector simultaneously expressing LASV glycoprotein and nucleoprotein, has been selected for further clinical evaluation.

Thousands of people in Western Africa succumb to Lassa fever each year. Lassa virus infections can in some cases respond to antiviral treatment, but there is no vaccine. The team of Dr. Sylvain Baize (CIRI - Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université de Lyon, ENS Lyon, UCB Lyon-1, Inserm U1111, CNRS UMR5308; Institut Pasteur; LabEx Ecofect) tested three different viral-vectored Lassa virus vaccines in a nonhuman primate model. They compared transcriptomic and proteomic signatures as well as B cell and T cell responses after vaccination. One vaccine using a measles virus vector with Lassa virus glycoprotein and nucleoprotein provided almost sterilizing protection upon a lethal Lassa virus challenge. This vaccine will soon be tested in humans and has the potential to make a major impact on the incidence of Lassa fever.

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Reference article:

Vaccines inducing immunity to Lassa virus glycoprotein and nucleoprotein protect macaques after a single shot

M. Mateo, S. Reynard, X. Carnec, A. Journeaux, N. Baillet, J. Schaeffer, C. Picard, C. Legras-Lachuer, R. Allan, E. Perthame, K-H. Hillion, N. Pietrosemoli, M-A. Dillies, L. Barrot, A. Vallve, S. Barron, L. Fellmann, J-C. Gaillard, J. Armengaud, C. Carbonnelle, H. Raoul, F. Tangy and S. Baize (2019).
Science Translational Medicine, Vol. 11, Issue 512 – Published 02 October 2019 | PDF