Rift Valley Fever

Rift Valley fever (RVF), predominantly found in sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, poses a significant threat to both livestock and human health, with potentially fatal consequences for the latter. In response to this challenge, our company provides an extensive range of specialized services designed to expedite the advancement of RVF vaccines and therapeutics.

Overview of Rift Valley Fever

Rift Valley fever (RVF), a mosquito-borne illness stemming from the Rift Valley fever phlebovirus (RVFV), emerged in Kenya in the early 1900s. This disease has led to recurrent epidemics, exerting profound adverse effects on animal husbandry and human well-being. Typically transmitted through mosquito vectors, RVF can also be contracted through contact with infected animal matter. It often results in high newborn mortality rates and pregnancy losses in livestock, while in humans, it can present with a spectrum of symptoms from fever to serious conditions such as meningoencephalitis, retinitis, and hemorrhagic fever.

Fig.1 Schematic illustration of Rift Valley fever phlebovirus (RVFV) genome organization. (Faburay B., et al., 2017)

Vaccine Development for Rift Valley Fever

• Subunit and Recombinant Protein Vaccines: These vaccines focus on critical viral antigens like the glycoproteins Gn and Gc. An example includes the development of a baculovirus-expressed RVFV glycoprotein subunit vaccine that demonstrated robust neutralizing responses in sheep models.
• DNA and Viral Vectored Vaccines: Utilizing recombinant nucleic acid technology, DNA vaccines encoding RVFV antigens have shown promise in preclinical trials. Similarly, viral vector vaccines that deliver RVFV antigens using harmless viral carriers are under investigation.
• Virus-Like Particles (VLPs): VLPs mimic the native virus structure, stimulating an immune response without containing viral genetic material. VLP-based vaccines are considered safe and effective, with examples like the RVFV VLPs showing potential in preclinical studies.
• DIVA-Compliant Vaccines: Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals (DIVA) is crucial for trade and disease surveillance. The development of such vaccines allows for antibodies against RVFV to be distinguished based on their specificity.

Table 1 Status of Rift Valley fever vaccines and vaccine candidates evaluated in different animal models. (Faburay B., et al., 2017)

Therapeutics Development for Rift Valley Fever

Ribavirin: As a broad-spectrum antiviral, ribavirin has shown in vitro activity against RVFV. However, in vivo efficacy has been limited due to side effects.

Favipiravir: This nucleotide analog has demonstrated significant efficacy against RVFV in preclinical studies, both as monotherapy and in combination with ribavirin.

Host-Targeted Therapies: Given the broad range of cellular processes exploited by RVFV, therapies targeting host factors are being explored. This includes the use of proteasome inhibitors like bortezomib, which modulate the cellular environment to impair viral replication.

Our Services

Vaccine Design and Development: We specialize in creating novel vaccine candidates, leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as recombinant protein expression and VLP production.

Antiviral Drug Discovery: Our team employs high-throughput screening to identify potential antiviral compounds, followed by rigorous optimization for efficacy and safety.

Vaccine Development

• Live-attenuated Vaccine
• Inactivated Vaccine
• Toxoid Vaccine
• Viral Vector Vaccine
• Virus-like Particles Vaccine
• Protein Subunit Vaccine
• mRNA Vaccine
• DNA Vaccine

Therapeutic Development

• Small Molecule Drug Development Services
• Therapeutic mRNA Development Services
• Therapeutic Antibody Development Services
• Cell Therapy Development Services

Disease Models

• RVFV-induced Hepatitis Models
• RVFV-induced Cerebritis Models
• RVFV-induced Eye Lesions Models
• RVFV-induced Fever/Abortion Models
• RVFV-induced Viremia Models

We conduct comprehensive in vitro evaluations to assess the efficacy of vaccine and drug candidates against RVFV. In addition, detailed analysis of immune responses post-vaccination and the impact of therapeutics on viral loads are core components of our preclinical research. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.

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