The vaccine offers complete protection against the Ebola virus

A new synthetic DNA-based vaccine developed with the help of a technology developed by scientists from the Vaccination and Immunotherapy Center of the Wistar Institute offers comprehensive protection against infection with Zaire Ebola virus (EBOV) in promising preclinical research.

According to the World Health Organization, Ebola virus infection causes severe haemorrhagic fever with a 50% mortality rate. Recent advances have led to the development of promising experimental vaccine candidates that may be associated with side effects and / or may not be applicable in specific vulnerable populations, such as children, pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen these vaccines to provide long-term protection.

Using a unique approach, Wistar scientists have designed optimized synthetic DNA vaccine candidates targeting a surface protein of the virus called glycoprotein. They demonstrated the effectiveness of new candidate vaccines and the sustainability of immune responses in animal models. Importantly, the results showed a strong immune response one year after the last dose, which supports the long-term immunogenicity of the vaccine – a particularly difficult area for Ebola vaccines.

"Non-viral synthetic DNA technology allows rapid vaccine development directly into the skin, providing consistent, powerful and fast immunity from traditional vaccine approaches," said Dr. David B. Weiner, Principal Investigator , executive vice president and director of Wistar Immunization and Immunotherapy Center and WW Smith Charitable Trust Professor of Cancer Research. "An Ebola virus-like DNA vaccine like this could be an important new protection tool, and we are excited about the future studies that will be unveiled."

The researchers optimized a shorter and more rational immunization scheme and simplified the administration of the vaccine directly into the skin. This new approach induces rapid and protective immunity to viruses. The antibody levels detected were equal to or greater than those reported for other vaccines being evaluated in the clinic, according to the study.

"The success of intradermal administration of a low-dose diet is very encouraging," said Dr. Ami Patel, associate researcher at Weiner Lab. "The ultimate goal of our work is to create effective and safe vaccines, optimized for use in the field in risk areas."

The results of the study were published in the Infectious Diseases Journal.