January 29, 2019. Medigen presented experimental vaccines for two life-threatening emerging viruses at the 2019 ASM Biothreats conference in Washington, DC. Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE) virus is a mosquito-borne alphavirus that causes periodic disease outbreaks in North, Central, and South Americas including the U.S. Medigen’s VEE vaccine V4020 showed production of virus-neutralizing antibodies and complete protection in a laboratory mouse model after challenge with lethal TrD VEE strain. Safety of the V4020 VEE vaccine exceeded that of the current lead vaccine TC83.
Encouraged by the data, Medigen used similar approach to prepare vaccine against a related alphavirus, chikungunya virus (CHIKV). CHIKV is also transmitted to people by mosquitoes and is found worldwide, with approximately 40 countries reporting chikungunya fever including the U.S. The experiments showed successful production of the CHIKV vaccine. Vaccination of experimental animals with CHIKV vaccine resulted in production of virus-specific antibodies against CHIKV.
The advantageous safety features of both vaccines warrant further evaluation. If successful, VEEV and CHIKV vaccines will be the first vaccines against these two highly pathogenic emerging viruses.