An mRNA-based rabies vaccine induces strong protective immune responses in mice and dogs

As a member of the family Rhabroviridae, Rabies virus is a fatal zoonotic disease concentrated in developing countries of Africa and Asia. The disease is primarily transmitted to humans through bites of infected dogs; in which case the mortality is almost 100% once the clinical signs present. Inactivated Rabies vaccine is the conventional prophylactic method against Rabies. However, the modern technology has led to development of an mRNA vaccine (LVRNA001) whose efficacy was evaluated using mice and dogs. In the immunization and viral challenge experiment, the mice and dogs were injected intramuscularly with either inactive vaccine Rabvac® or LVRNA001. Virus was injected 14 and 35 days postimmunization for mice and dogs respectively. Blood samples were later taken for neutralization antibody test. In this study, the LVRNA001vaccine proved protective against Rabies virus. In the post-exposure immunization experiment, dogs were injected with 50-fold LD50 of virulent RABV-BD06. The dogs were then subjected to either the inactivated vaccine or LVRNA001 six hours later. Results indicate that dogs that received two 25 μg doses of LVRNA001 had 100% survival rate versus 33.33% that received inactivated vaccine. These results show that mRNA vaccine LVRNA001 offers more prophylaxis against Rabies compared to the inactive vaccine Rabvac®.

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