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Immunogenic potential of virus-like particles expressing LASV glycoprotein spikes

LASV can cause severe acute systemic infection in humans. No approved antiviral drugs or vaccines are currently available. Antibody-based therapeutics are considered a promising treatment strategy in the management of LASV disease. The LASV envelope surface glycoprotein GP is a primary target for neutralizing antibodies. Our group showed that an adjuvanted prime-boost immunization regimen with virus-like particles (VLPs) expressing native-like forms of LASV GP elicited robust polyclonal broadly neutralizing antibody responses in rabbits. In collaboration with Dr. Lisa Oestereich (BNITM, Hamburg), we evaluated the prophylactic and therapeutic in vivo capacity of these polyclonal antibodies in a lethal mouse model of LASV infection. Our current work aims to develop neutralizing monoclonal antibodies with therapeutic potential against LASV by immunizing mice with LASV GP VLPs.

Immunogenic potential virus-like particles expressing LASV glycoprotein spikes.