Project Title: Clinical Development of “DDVax” a human vaccine candidate for Rift Valley fever
Project Description: Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a devastating mosquito-borne pathogen and zoonosis of high-consequence found throughout Africa and parts of the Middle East. As a direct response to lessons learned on the ground during the 2006-2007 East Africa epidemic, the research team based in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began the development of a next-generation vaccine candidate using a recently developed reverse genetics system. This work led to the first rationally... Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a devastating mosquito-borne pathogen and zoonosis of high-consequence found throughout Africa and parts of the Middle East. As a direct response to lessons learned on the ground during the 2006-2007 East Africa epidemic, the research team based in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began the development of a next-generation vaccine candidate using a recently developed reverse genetics system. This work led to the first rationally designed live-attenuated vaccine candidate for RVFV designated as ∆NSs-∆NSm-rZH501 referred to as “DDVax”. Over the past 16 years of pre-clinical development (funded in part by CEPI CfP3i), DDVax has been proven safe and effective in a variety of animal species including multiple rodent species, two healthy adult and pregnant livestock species, and two species of non-human primates. The next step for evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of this candidate vaccine involves conducting Phase I and II trials in an endemic population. These proposed trials are set to take place within well-established study participant communities near the IHI – Bagamoyo Clinical Trial Facility in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. To explore the feasibility of a vaccine trial and assess the prevalence of RVFV among human, livestock and vectors during inter-epidemic period, we will employ a comprehensive integrated One Health approach. This entails longitudinal and concurrent sampling of these key populations in areas suitable for study sites to be utilized for Phase I and II clinical trials.
Principal Investigator : Ally Olotu
Department Name :
Time frame: (2023-09-01) - (2027-04-30)
University of California, Davis (UC Davis) (Normal)
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