Imunon and NIAID to Study DNA-based Lassa Virus Vaccine Candidates
Biotechnology company Imunon, Inc. has entered a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to evaluate DNA-based Lassa virus vaccine candidates in animal models.
Imunon, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMNN), a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to evaluate two of Imunon's DNA-based Lassa virus vaccine candidates.
The three-year agreement will see NIAID assess the efficacy of PlaCCine DNA constructs against Lassa virus in guinea pig and non-human primate disease models, including both prime and prime-boost vaccine strategies.
Lassa virus, spread by rodents, causes Lassa fever, a significant public health concern in West Africa, where approximately 60 million people are at risk and nearly 5,000 deaths occur annually. Its lethality and increasing incidence have led NIAID and the World Health Organization to categorize it as a Priority Pathogen. Currently, no vaccine or therapeutic is available.
"We are excited to be working with the Laboratory of Virology at NIAID to research a potential solution for combatting this life-threatening pathogen," said Imunon CEO Dr. Corinne Le Goff. She added that the CRADA aligns with the company's growth strategy to defray development costs via non-dilutive funding sources.