A Lassa fever vaccine - follow the footsteps of Ebola

This month VacZine Analytics releases MarketVIEW: Lassa fever vaccines. Lassa Fever is a priority target for international stakeholders, with significant sums of money already donated to develop a preventative vaccine. After apparent success with Ebola vaccine development, should the wider industry be interested in this new business model?

Lassa fever virus (CHIK) is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus (LASV), a single-stranded RNA virus of the Arenaviridae family. The virus is zoonotic and mainly transmitted from the host, M.natalensis (multimammate rate) to humans where it can cause symptoms ranging from fever, general malaise, weakness, and headache to the more serious outcomes of multi-organ failure or death. A significant cause of morbidity in survivors is deafness (which can be permanent) and occurs in approximately one-third of cases. Pregnant women are particularly at risk from LASV.

It is estimated that there are between 100,000 and 300,000 Lassa fever infections in West Africa per year, resulting in approximately 5,000 deaths, although estimates are outdated and impacted by a lack of routine surveillance. Intravenous ribavirin (if given early) can reduce mortality. There are a number or prophylatic Lassa fever vaccines in pre-clinical development supported by CEPI/WHO initiatives but none yet in clinical stages. Ebola, a similar hemorrhagic virus, has been recently tackled in the Democratic Republic of Congo by a newly developed vaccine (VSV-EBOV) which received significant GAVI funding and interest from major manufacturers.

This MarketVIEW product is a comprehensive Executive Presentation (~100 slides, .pdf) and MS-Excel forecast model which investigates the commercial potential of a putative Lassa fever vaccine in all relevant target groups (preventative and emergency scenarios) in 2035. There is a detailed case study analysis of Ebola vaccine procurement/deployment to serve as guidance with all assumptions clearly outlined. A thorough review of current disease background/epidemiology and R&D competitive environment are also included. 

For more information, please contact info@vaczine-analytics.com or www.vaczine-analytics.com

VacZine Analytics, a world-leading supplier of vaccine-related commercial analyses, is a trading division of Assay Advantage Ltd (UK Company No: 5807728, UK VAT: 883584084)



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