Clinical trial of a DIOS Trivalent Haemorrhagic Fever Vaccine
Funding: Innovate UK
Duration: September 2018 – August 2020
The HFVac3-project is based on the predecessor projects EVAC and Tri-LEMvac that also were funded by Innovate UK. Within the EVAC project, a streamlined process for vaccine generation starting with in silico design of antigen sequences, over the generation of delivery vectors (DNA, adenovirus, vaccinia virus) and rapid testing for immunogenicity in small animal models (mice and guinea pigs) – all steps to be completed within one year – had been developed. In a parallel track within the Tri-LEMvac project, proof-of-concept for immunogenicity and (in part) efficacy of such vaccine candidates against three different hemorrhagic fever viruses (Lassa, Ebola, and Marburg virus) has been obtained.
Now, the outcomes of these two projects will be joined to come up with a clinical vaccine candidate and start a phase I clinical trial to assess the safety and immunogenicity of this vaccine candidate addressing the three viral diseases.
The Wagner lab contribution to the project encompasses the generation and characterization of the MVA vaccine candidate vector suitable for GMP manufacturing.
The project is coordinated by Prof. Jonathan Heeney (University of Cambridge). Other cooperation partners include Simon Frost (University of Cambridge), Miles Carroll (Public Health England), and Edward Wright (University of Sussex) and DIOSynVax Ltd.