A new clinical trial has started enrolling participants at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, testing a candidate vaccine for Lassa fever, a severe hemorrhagic disease affecting millions in West Africa. The trial is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and aims to test the safety and effectiveness of the LASSARAB vaccine, which combines a deactivated rabies virus with the glycoprotein precursor of the Lassa fever virus. Participants will receive two injections of the vaccine candidate or an FDA-licensed rabies vaccine, and are being followed for six months after vaccination to monitor their immune responses. This is promising news in the fight against this deadly disease, which currently has no specific treatment or vaccine available.
Source: https://www.genengnews.com/topics/infectious-diseases/lassa-fever-vaccine-clinical-trial-begins-marking-key-step-forward