Zika Breaking News

HDT Bio Corp. announced the peer-reviewed publication of preclinical data demonstrating that its self-amplifying replicon mRNA (repRNA) vaccines, delivered via HDT Bio's proprietary LION nanoparticle formulation, provide robust maternal and neonatal immunogenicity against two pathogens with high mother-to-child transmission risk: HIV-1 and Zika virus.

The study, funded by NIAID and led by researchers at HDT Bio in collaboration with Duke University and the Seattle Children's Research Institute, investigated the potential for HDT Bio's repRNA/LION platform technology to elicit an immune response against infectious diseases transmitted from mother to child. 

"The transmission of certain viruses from mother to developing fetus poses a significant risk to newborns," said Steven Reed, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of HDT Bio, in a press release on March 24, 2023. 

"These data demonstrate that the vaccines derived from our repRNA/LION platform technology have the potential to offer protection not only to the vaccinated individual but also to their offspring."

"Moreover, our platform has several advantages, including cost-effectiveness, safety, and stability at refrigeration temperatures."

"This reduces barriers for distribution of our vaccines to developing nations where these diseases are endemic, making them accessible to those who need them most."

The data were published in the journal Molecular Therapy in the article "Evaluation of repRNA vaccine for induction and in utero transfer of maternal antibodies in a pregnant rabbit model."

A clinical-stage biotechnology company announced today good news regarding its Zika virus (ZIKV) vaccine candidate, which was recently found very effective in a preclinical study.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued GeoVax Labs Inc. a Notice of Allowance for Patent Application No. 17/000,768 titled, "Method for Generating a ZIKV Immune Response Utilizing a Recombinant Modified Vaccinia Ankara Vector Encoding the NS1 Protein."

The claims to be granted in the patent cover GeoVax's MVA vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a ZIKV nonstructural (NS1) protein, of which the GEO-ZM02 vaccine candidate is designed.

"Our novel Zika vaccine, GEO-ZM02, is constructed using our modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vector platform," stated GeoVax CEO David Dodd in a press release on January 25, 2023. 

"Preclinical studies demonstrated a single dose of GEO-ZM02 provided 100% protection against a lethal dose of Zika virus."

"Addressing many of the world's most threatening infectious diseases is part of our vision and corporate priorities for MVA's applications, including an MVA-based next-generation COVID-19 vaccine currently in Phase 2 clinical trials."

With an outstanding safety record, MVA has great potential to address the unmet need to vaccinate women of childbearing age and newborns against ZIKV.

A pathogen endemic in various areas of the world, ZIKV is linked to an increase in infant microcephaly and neurodegenerative disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome, in adults.

Numerous public health officials recommend avoiding exposure to ZIKV, delaying pregnancy, and following basic supportive care (fluids, rest, and acetaminophen) after infection.

GEO-ZM02 is designed to function through the induction of T-cell responses rather than antibodies to eliminate the risk of Antibody Dependent Enhancement, a serious side effect observed in flavivirus infections when an individual does not have a fully protective immune response from vaccination or a previous infection that causes a more serious disease if infected.

ZIKV is a member of the Flaviviridae family, which includes other significant pathogens such as dengue, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis, and West Nile viruses.

GeoVax Labs, Inc. is developing novel therapies and vaccines for cancers and many of the world's most threatening infectious diseases. 

As of January 25, 2023, the U.S. FDA has not approved a Zika prevention vaccine.

Note: The USPTO provides inventors, entrepreneurs, and small businesses with free resources on how to protect their intellectual property.

As if disruptions from the wet and cold weather triggered by a cyclone were not enough, a new threat in the form of vector-borne infection now hovers over Karnataka, India.

The Weather Channel India recently reported that Kamataka had confirmed its first Zika virus disease patient.

Previously, Zika cases were detected in Kerala, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.

Zika virus disease is now considered one of the significant public health concerns because of its impact on infants.

“It came to light when the serum was subjected to Dengue and Chikungunya tests. Usually, 10% of such samples are sent to Pune for a test, out of which this has come across as positive.” Karnataka’s Health Minister, Dr. K. Sudhakar, informed the media.

With various Indian health departments expressing caution, local residents must be aware of Zika symptoms and how to prevent its spread.

The Weather Channel listed answers to some frequently asked questions on the Zika virus at this link.

As of December 19, 2022, the U.S. CDC has not issued a travel advisory focused on Zika cases in India.

According to the local media reporting on December 13, 2022, the state health minister of Karnatakasaidd a case of Zika virus disease in Raichur District in November 2022.

And the state health department is on high alert to initiate preventive measures surrounding the patient's residence. 

Also, in November 2022, a Zika virus (ZIKV) case was reported in Pune, Maharashtra State.

Pune is located in western India, southeast of Mumbai, and has a population of about 7 million. 

The U.K. Advice to visitors to India includes awareness of the type of mosquitoes that transmit ZIKV. If you are traveling to an area where ZIKV infections have been confirmed, you should consider the following suggestions:

• Avoiding mosquito bites, especially if you are pregnant or planning pregnancy,
• Use condoms and contraception if you are sexually active during travel and on your return home for two months (female) or three months (male),
• If you are pregnant, check with your travel insurance company that you (and your baby) are covered under the policy before booking your trip,

As of December 14, 2022, there are no approved Zika vaccines.

The British Embassy in Mexico City recently announced Dr. Reyes Sandoval explained, "Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya have a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable people who often live in the most precarious environments."

"These are places where rubbish and water accumulate, creating the perfect combination for mosquitoes to breed and spread disease."

Thanks to the U.K.'s Newton Fund for science and innovation, Dr. Sandoval received two different grants to further investigations on mosquito-borne infectious diseases. 

In the case of Chikungunya, people suffering from the disease may develop rheumatoid arthritis, which significantly impairs their mobility.

A severe form of Dengue can cause extreme bleeding, sudden blood pressure drops, and even death.

And Zika, on the other hand, has a predilection for infecting cells of the nervous system, causing microcephaly in newborns.

Dr. Sandoval also described in an embassy statement on December 7, 2022, how the Newton Fund strengthened scientific partnerships between the U.K. and Mexico.

"This work created a strong link between the University of Oxford and universities in Michoacán, Veracruz, and Puebla."

"These are universities at the forefront of mosquito-borne disease research in Mexico, and we were able to contribute to three Oxford-Mexico collaborative laboratories to study human infectious diseases."

The British Embassy in Mexico City maintains and develops relations between the U.K. and Mexico.

As of December 10, 2022, the U.S. FDA has not approved a Zika vaccine.

Clinical tests recently conducted at the premier National Institute of Virology in Pune, India, confirmed an elderly man had been infected with the Zika virus.

The patient is originally from Nashik and traveled to Pune on November 6, 2022. Previously, he had traveled to Surat in late October 2022.

Local media reported on December 1, 202; a seven-year-old girl was also found infected with the Zika virus in the Palghar district near Mumbai in July 2022.

As of December 4, 2022, the U.S. FDA had not approved a Zika vaccine.

Researchers published a study in Frontiers in Microbiology in June 2022 concerning the Zika virus (ZIKV silently spreading in various countries.

India had an outbreak of Zika in late 2021 that essentially went unreported.

ZIKV outbreaks were reported in Kerala (May–July), Maharashtra (July), and Uttar Pradesh (October) states of India (Yadav et al., 2022).

Since these outbreaks were reported from distant locations and over six months, these researchers conducted a retrospective screening of dengue and chikungunya-negative clinical samples from May to October 2021 to understand the extent of the spread of ZIKV in India.

In this article, they described the results and conclusions of this retrospective analysis, which revealed the circulation of ZIKV in Delhi, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Telangana states of India in 2021 in addition to Kerala, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.

And co-infections with Zika, dengue, and chikungunya were another concern in many places in India.

The retrospective surveillance for ZIKV demonstrates the silent spread of this virus to almost all parts of India, with a predominance of the more recent 2018 Rajasthan ZIKV strain.

These results indicated the need for continuous and enhanced surveillance for ZIKV along with DENV and CHIKV, emphasizing ante-natal ZIKV screening.

It is also critical to strengthen linkages of ZIKV surveillance sites with the existing newborn congenital disability screening sites in the country to understand the spectrum of ZVD in babies born to ZIKV-infected mothers.

As of October 27, 2022, the U.S. FDA has not approved a Zika-prevention vaccine.