Development of a Potent Zika Virus Vaccine Using Self-amplifying Messenger RNA

Overview

Journal Sci Adv

Specialties Biology
Science

Date 2020 Aug 22

PMID 32821824

Citations 32

Authors

Kate Luisi

Kaitlyn M Morabito

Katherine E Burgomaster

Mayuri Sharma

Wing-Pui Kong

Bryant M Foreman

Sonal Patel

Brian Fisher

Maya A Aleshnick

Jason Laliberte

Madison Wallace

Tracy J Ruckwardt

David N Gordon

Christine Linton

Nicole Ruggiero

Jessica L Cohen

Russell Johnson

Kunal Aggarwal

Sung-Youl Ko

Eun Sung Yang

Rebecca S Pelc

Kimberly A Dowd

Derek OHagan

Jeffrey Ulmer

Sally Mossman

Anna Sambor

Edith Lepine

John R Mascola

Theodore C Pierson

Barney S Graham

Dong Yu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV) is the cause of a pandemic associated with microcephaly in newborns and Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults. Currently, there are no available treatments or vaccines for ZIKV, and the development of a safe and effective vaccine is a high priority for many global health organizations. We describe the development of ZIKV vaccine candidates using the self-amplifying messenger RNA (SAM) platform technology delivered by cationic nanoemulsion (CNE) that allows bedside mixing and is particularly useful for rapid responses to pandemic outbreaks. Two immunizations of either of the two lead SAM (CNE) vaccine candidates elicited potent neutralizing antibody responses to ZIKV in mice and nonhuman primates. Both SAM (CNE) vaccines protected these animals from ZIKV challenge, with one candidate providing complete protection against ZIKV infection in nonhuman primates. The data provide a preclinical proof of concept that a SAM (CNE) vaccine candidate can rapidly elicit protective immunity against ZIKV.

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