Yellow Fever

Yellow fever, a severe and potentially fatal disease, is caused by the yellow fever virus (YFV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus. Our company is dedicated to advancing yellow fever therapeutics and prevention through a comprehensive suite of services.

Overview of Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is an infectious disease characterized by fever and jaundice, caused by the yellow fever virus (YFV), belonging to the Flavivirus genus. Transmitted primarily by Aedes and Haemagogus mosquitoes, YFV poses a significant public health threat in tropical regions of Africa and South America. The disease manifests in two phases: the acute phase, characterized by fever, chills, loss of appetite, and muscle pain, and the toxic phase, which can lead to severe liver damage, jaundice, bleeding, and a high mortality rate. The case fatality rate can vary between 5% and 50%, depending on the outbreak conditions and the population affected.

Fig.1 Schematic representation of the yellow fever virus (YFV) genome. (Hansen C. A., et al., 2021)

Although effective vaccines are accessible, yellow fever continues to be endemic in 44 countries, resulting in approximately 109,000 severe infections and 51,000 fatalities each year. The infrastructure for vaccination and disease surveillance is crucial to prevent outbreaks, given the re-emergence of yellow fever in areas previously considered non-endemic, likely exacerbated by climate change and urbanization.

Vaccine Development for Yellow Fever

The yellow fever 17D vaccine, developed in the 1930s, has been a mainstay in disease prevention. This live-attenuated vaccine provides long-lasting immunity but faces limitations in production scalability and potential safety concerns in specific populations, such as the elderly or immunocompromised individuals.

In response, there has been a push towards developing inactivated vaccines. These vaccines, exemplified by candidates like XRX-001, are produced through the purification and inactivation of the YFV, offering a safer alternative with similar efficacy rates observed in clinical trials.

Table 1 Yellow fever vaccine candidates in development. (Hansen C. A., et al., 2021)

Therapeutics Development for Yellow Fever

• Symptomatic Therapeutics
  Given the absence of a specific antiviral for yellow fever, therapeutic is primarily symptomatic and supportive. This includes rehydration, pain relief, and management of specific complications. For instance, paracetamol (acetaminophen) is used for fever reduction and pain relief, while aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are avoided due to their potential to exacerbate bleeding risks.
• Antiviral Research
  There is an ongoing search for effective antivirals against yellow fever. Drugs like sofosbuvir, currently used for hepatitis C, are being investigated for their potential efficacy against YFV in clinical and laboratory research.

Therapeutic Development

Preclinical Research

Pathogen and Host Research

Disease Model Development

Our Services

Our dedication lies in the exploration and advancement of cutting-edge yellow fever vaccines. This encompasses the investigation of diverse platforms like live-attenuated vaccines, inactivated vaccines, nucleic acid vaccines, and virus-like particles (VLPs). Our objective is to elevate vaccine accessibility, scalability, and safety through our research and development endeavors.

Furthermore, our endeavors in drug discovery center around the discovery and formulation of innovative antiviral therapeutics. This involves the systematic screening of compound libraries through high-throughput methods to pinpoint promising antiviral contenders, coupled with meticulous in vitro and in vivo assessments to gauge their effectiveness and safety profiles.

Our company is at the forefront of yellow fever vaccine and therapeutic development and is committed to delivering innovative solutions for this deadly disease. 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.