Lassa Fever

Symptoms of Lassa fever are often nonspecific and can include fever, malaise, and gastrointestinal disturbances. As a leader in vaccine and therapeutic development services, our company is actively involved in advancing these vaccine candidates and therapeutics through rigorous preclinical studies to accelerate their arrival to market.

Overview of Lassa Fever

Lassa fever (LF) is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus (LASV), a member of the Arenaviridae family. Endemic primarily in West Africa, the disease poses a significant public health challenge, with an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 infections annually and a mortality rate of approximately 1%, which can rise to 15% in severe cases. The natural reservoir of LASV is the multimammate rat, Mastomys natalensis, with transmission occurring through direct contact with rodent excreta or bodily fluids of infected individuals, including blood and secretions.

Annual statistics on Lassa fever clinical research data. Fig.1 Number of Lassa fever clinical studies published per year. (Mulvey P., et al., 2021)

Vaccine Development for Lassa Fever

Live Attenuated Vaccines

These vaccines utilize weakened forms of the virus to elicit an immune response without causing disease. An example is the use of recombinant viruses that express LASV proteins, such as the glycoprotein, to stimulate an immune response. Preliminary studies in animal models indicate promising results in generating protective immunity.

Subunit Vaccines

These vaccines contain purified components of the virus, such as the glycoprotein or nucleoprotein, which are crucial for eliciting an immune response. For instance, a candidate vaccine based on the LASV glycoprotein has shown efficacy in rodent models, indicating its potential for further development.

DNA Vaccines

These innovative candidates involve the use of plasmid DNA encoding Lassa virus (LASV) proteins to induce immunity. Research has demonstrated that DNA vaccines can elicit robust immune responses and are stable, making them suitable for deployment in endemic regions.

Therapeutics Development for Lassa Fever

Ribavirin, a broad-spectrum antiviral drug, has been the mainstay of Lassa fever therapeutic for decades. It functions by inhibiting the inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) enzyme, thereby disrupting viral replication. Despite its widespread use, the efficacy of ribavirin in treating Lassa fever has been a subject of debate due to conflicting results from clinical trials.

Favipiravir, a novel antiviral drug, has shown significant promise in preclinical studies for Lassa fever therapeutics. It works by inhibiting the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of the virus, leading to the termination of viral transcription. Favipiravir has demonstrated superior efficacy compared to ribavirin in animal models, positioning it as a potential candidate for clinical trials

Our Services

Our company specializes in providing comprehensive services for the development of vaccines and therapies against Lassa fever. Our expertise spans across various stages of the development pipeline, from the identification of potential candidates to the execution of preclinical studies.

Vaccine Development

Therapeutic Development

Disease Models

Natal Mastomys (Mastomys natalensis) Mice
Immune-Competent Laboratory Mice (IFNAR-/- Mice)
Chimeric IFNAR--B6 Mice
STAT1-/- Mice
Guinea Pig-adapted LASV (GPA-LASV) Models

By leveraging our expertise in preclinical research, our company is dedicated to advancing the fight against Lassa fever, ultimately aiming to deliver effective vaccines and therapies to those in need. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.

References

Merson, Laura, et al. "Clinical characterization of Lassa fever: A systematic review of clinical reports and research to inform clinical trial design." PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 15.9 (2021): e0009788.
Hansen, Frederick, et al. "Lassa virus treatment options." Microorganisms 9.4 (2021): 772.
Salami, Kolawole, et al. "A review of Lassa fever vaccine candidates." Current Opinion in Virology 37 (2019): 105-111.

All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.