CEPI Funds $6.2M for mRNA-Based Rift Valley Fever Vaccine Trials
A $6.2m grant from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) went to South African biotech Afrigen Biologics for leadingIFT Valley fever mRNA vaccine development.
Thanks to funding from CEPI Afrigen researchers will collaborate with the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) to progress the mRNA candidate through animal trials and human safety tests leading to a Phase I clinical trial. Scientists will initiate clinical trials for this potential mRNA-based vaccine within a choice of South Africa or any place which experiences mosquito-borne disease outbreaks.
Medical experts traced the discovery of Rift Valley fever back to Kenya about 90 years ago. The disease spreads to human beings through animal contact or mosquito bites that infect the person. Traditional farmers who work with livestock experience the most infections from disease contact.
The available animal vaccines currently exist but human-specific vaccines remain unavailable for market distribution. Among all Rift Valley fever infections the haemorrhagic form occurs in less than 2 percent of cases leading to blindness and bleeding and convulsions and encephalitis. The severe form of this illness results in approximately 50% mortality rates among human patients.
WHO identified outbreaks of Rift Valley fever in Egypt, Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania throughout the 20th century yet cases first materialized beyond Africa during September 2000 following trade of livestock to the Middle East.
Rift Valley fever displays similar characteristics to malaria due to its climate-sensitive nature so experts fear that rates of this disease might increase. CEPI has recommended developing a new vaccine because changes in climate predict more frequent outbreaks and the potential spread of the disease to different areas.
WHO selected Afrigen Biologics to function as their mRNA production center dedicated to expanding mRNA vaccine development and production throughout low-income and middle-income nations. These regions experience the most severe consequences when infectious diseases break out because of mosquito-borne viruses.
CEPI’s CEO Dr Richard Hatchett said: Through co-development nearly all its stages in Africa Afrigen Biologics produced a Rift Valley fever mRNA vaccine which met safety and effectiveness standards and created a pathway toward quick response mRNA vaccines that could protect against emerging pathogens anywhere on the continent.
Among the funding initiatives of CEPI for Afrigen’s mRNA-based Rift Valley fever vaccine stands as the organization’s very first such project. A University of Oxford-developed vaccine candidate continues its development through a Phase II trial in Kenya that receives $3.7 million from CEPI for its funding.
Afrigen’s Rift Valley fever vaccine initiative launched this week coincided with Tanzania’s outbreak announcement of haemorragic virus Marburg which remains vaccine less.