Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) RNA vaccine efficacy assessment in rodents

Study Objective: To determine the efficacy of novel RNA vaccines against JEV generated by Tiba Biotech in rodents. Vaccines will be administered in a prime/boost regimen prior to a challenge with an appropriate JEV strain. Technical Background: Tiba Biotech is developing and testing several different JEV vaccine designs under funding from CEPI. Three RNA formats are currently being tested at Tiba to confirm antigen expression in vitro, and for adaptive immune responses in female BALB/cJ mice by ELISA (humoral) and ELISpot (T cell). The RNA formats being tested are (i) conventional mRNA and (ii) alphavirus-based self-amplifying RNA (saRNA). In the mRNA and saRNA formats, two antigen designs are being tested: soluble secreted JEV Envelope protein (secE) and pre-membrane-envelope polyprotein (prME). After immune correlates have been measured, a lead vaccine candidate will be selected for definitive testing in a challenge model. All RNA candidates are based on the sequence of the JEV genotype III vaccine strain SA14-14-2.