Efficacy of different AV7909 dose regimens in a nonclinical model of pulmonary anthrax.

Pulmonary anthrax caused by exposure to inhaled , the most lethal form of anthrax disease, is a continued military and public health concern for the United States. The vaccine AV7909, consisting of the licensed anthrax drug substance AVA adjuvanted with CpG7909, induces high levels of toxin neutralizing antibodies in healthy adults using fewer doses than AVA. This study compares the ability of one- or two-dose regimens of AV7909 to induce a protective immune response in guinea pigs challenged with a lethal dose of aerosolized spores 6 weeks after the last vaccine dose.

Adapting Simon's Two-Stage Design for Efficient Screening of Filovirus Vaccines in Non-Human Primates.

The cynomolgus monkey () non-human primate (NHP) is widely used for filovirus vaccine testing. To use limited BSL-4 resources efficiently and minimize NHP usage, Simon's two-stage design was adapted to screen candidate Ebola virus (EBOV) vaccines in up to six NHPs with two (optimal), three, or four NHPs in Stage 1. Using the optimal design, two NHPs were tested in Stage 1.

Natural History of to Support Medical Countermeasure Development.

(SUDV) is one of four members of the genus known to cause Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in humans, which is characterized by hemorrhagic fever and a high case fatality rate. While licensed therapeutics and vaccines are available in limited number to treat infections of Zaire ebolavirus, there are currently no effective licensed vaccines or therapeutics for SUDV. A well-characterized animal model of this disease is needed for the further development and testing of vaccines and therapeutics.

Selection of Filovirus Isolates for Vaccine Development Programs.

The continuing outbreaks of ebola virus disease highlight the ongoing threat posed by filoviruses. Fortunately, licensed vaccines and therapeutics are now available for . However, effective medical countermeasures, such as vaccines for other filoviruses such as and the Marburg virus, are presently in early stages of development and, in the absence of a large outbreak, would require regulatory approval via the U.

Method feasibility for cross-species testing, qualification, and validation of the Filovirus Animal Nonclinical Group anti-Ebola virus glycoprotein immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for non-human primate serum samples.

An anti-Zaire Ebola virus (EBOV) glycoprotein (GP) immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to quantify the serum levels of anti-EBOV IgG in human and non-human primate (NHP) serum following vaccination and/or exposure to EBOV. This method was validated for testing human serum samples as previously reported. However, for direct immunobridging comparability between humans and NHPs, additional testing was warranted.

Interlaboratory comparison for the Filovirus Animal Nonclinical Group (FANG) anti-Ebola virus glycoprotein immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

The need for an efficacious vaccine against highly pathogenic filoviruses was reinforced by the devastating 2014-2016 outbreak of Ebola virus (EBOV) disease (EVD) in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia that resulted in over 28,000 cases and over 11,300 deaths. In addition, the 2018-2020 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo currently has over 3,400 cases and over 2,200 deaths. A fully licensed vaccine and at least one other investigational vaccine are being deployed to combat this EVD outbreak.

Characterization of Cholinesterases From Multiple Large Animal Species for Medical Countermeasure Development Against Chemical Warfare Nerve Agents.

Organophosphorus (OP) compounds, which include insecticides and chemical warfare nerve agents (CWNAs) such as sarin (GB) and VX, continue to be a global threat to both civilian and military populations. It is widely accepted that cholinesterase inhibition is the primary mechanism for acute OP toxicity. Disruption of cholinergic function through the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) leads to the accumulation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

Approach to Strain Selection and the Propagation of Viral Stocks for Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus Vaccine Efficacy Testing under the Animal Rule.

Licensure of a vaccine to protect against aerosolized Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) requires use of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Animal Rule to assess vaccine efficacy as human studies are not feasible or ethical.

Development, qualification, and validation of the Filovirus Animal Nonclinical Group anti-Ebola virus glycoprotein immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for human serum samples.

The need for an efficacious vaccine against highly pathogenic filoviruses was reinforced by the recent and devastating 2014-2016 outbreak of Ebola virus (EBOV) disease in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia that resulted in more than 10,000 casualties. Such a vaccine would need to be vetted through a U.S.

Single-Dose Trivalent VesiculoVax Vaccine Protects Macaques from Lethal Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus Challenge.

Previous studies demonstrated that a single intramuscular (i.m.) dose of an attenuated recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) vector (VesiculoVax vector platform; rVSV-N4CT1) expressing the glycoprotein (GP) from the Mayinga strain of (EBOV) protected nonhuman primates (NHPs) from lethal challenge with EBOV strains Kikwit and Makona.

Assessing the safety and immunogenicity of recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus Ebola vaccine in healthy adults: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: The 2013-2016 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa was the most widespread in history. In response, alive attenuated recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) vaccine expressing glycoprotein (rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP) was evaluated in humans.

Methods: In a phase 1, randomized, dose-ranging, observer-blind, placebo-controlled trial, healthy adults aged 18-65 years were randomized into 4 groups of 10 to receive one of 3 vaccine doses or placebo.

Human butyrylcholinesterase efficacy against nerve agent exposure.

Acetylcholinesterase is vital for normal operation of many processes in the body. Following exposure to organophosphorus (OP) nerve agents, death can ensue without immediate medical intervention. Current therapies mitigate the cholinergic crisis caused by nerve agents but do not fully prevent long-term health concerns, for example, brain damage following seizures.

Characterization of a Mouse Model of Oral Potassium Cyanide Intoxication.

Potassium cyanide (KCN) is an inhibitor of cytochrome C oxidase causing rapid death due to hypoxia. A well-characterized model of oral KCN intoxication is needed to test new therapeutics under the Food and Drug Administration Animal Rule. Clinical signs, plasma pH and lactate concentrations, biomarkers, histopathology, and cyanide and thiocyanate toxicokinetics were used to characterize the pathology of KCN intoxication in adult and juvenile mice.

Neurobehavioral and Cardiovascular Effects of Potassium Cyanide Administered Orally to Mice.

The Food and Drug Administration Animal Rule requires evaluation of cardiovascular and central nervous system (CNS) effects of new therapeutics. To characterize an adult and juvenile mouse model, neurobehavioral and cardiovascular effects and pathology of a single sublethal but toxic, 8 mg/kg, oral dose of potassium cyanide (KCN) for up to 41 days postdosing were investigated. This study describes the short- and long-term sensory, motor, cognitive, and behavioral changes associated with oral dosing of a sublethal but toxic dose of KCN utilizing functional observation battery and Tier II CNS testing in adult and juvenile mice of both sexes.

Humoral and Cell-Mediated Immune Responses to Alternate Booster Schedules of Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed in Humans.

Protective antigen (PA)-specific antibody and cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses to annual and alternate booster schedules of anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA; BioThrax) were characterized in humans over 43 months. Study participants received 1 of 6 vaccination schedules: a 3-dose intramuscular (IM) priming series (0, 1, and 6 months) with a single booster at 42 months (4-IM); 3-dose IM priming with boosters at 18 and 42 months (5-IM); 3-dose IM priming with boosters at 12, 18, 30, and 42 months (7-IM); the 1970 licensed priming series of 6 doses (0, 0.5, 1, 6, 12, and 18 months) and two annual boosters (30 and 42 months) administered either subcutaneously (SQ) (8-SQ) or IM (8-IM); or saline placebo control at all eight time points.

Comprehensive analysis and selection of anthrax vaccine adsorbed immune correlates of protection in rhesus macaques.

Humoral and cell-mediated immune correlates of protection (COP) for inhalation anthrax in a rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) model were determined. The immunological and survival data were from 114 vaccinated and 23 control animals exposed to Bacillus anthracis spores at 12, 30, or 52 months after the first vaccination. The vaccinated animals received a 3-dose intramuscular priming series (3-i.

Accumulation of CD11b⁺Gr-1⁺ cells in the lung, blood and bone marrow of mice infected with highly pathogenic H5N1 and H1N1 influenza viruses.

Infection with pathogenic influenza viruses is associated with intense inflammatory disease. Here, we investigated the innate immune response in mice infected with H5N1 A/Vietnam/1203/04 and with reassortant human H1N1 A/Texas/36/91 viruses containing the virulence genes hemagglutinin (HA), neuraminidase (NA) and NS1 of the 1918 pandemic virus. Inclusion of the 1918 HA and NA glycoproteins rendered a seasonal H1N1 virus capable of inducing an exacerbated host innate immune response similar to that observed for highly pathogenic A/Vietnam/1203/04 virus.

A three-dose intramuscular injection schedule of anthrax vaccine adsorbed generates sustained humoral and cellular immune responses to protective antigen and provides long-term protection against inhalation anthrax in rhesus macaques.

A 3-dose (0, 1, and 6 months) intramuscular (3-IM) priming series of a human dose (HuAVA) and dilutions of up to 1:10 of anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA) provided statistically significant levels of protection (60 to 100%) against inhalation anthrax for up to 4 years in rhesus macaques. Serum anti-protective antigen (anti-PA) IgG and lethal toxin neutralization activity (TNA) were detectable following a single injection of HuAVA or 1:5 AVA or following two injections of diluted vaccine (1:10, 1:20, or 1:40 AVA). Anti-PA and TNA were highly correlated (overall r(2) = 0.

Conserved host response to highly pathogenic avian influenza virus infection in human cell culture, mouse and macaque model systems.

Background: Understanding host response to influenza virus infection will facilitate development of better diagnoses and therapeutic interventions. Several different experimental models have been used as a proxy for human infection, including cell cultures derived from human cells, mice, and non-human primates. Each of these systems has been studied extensively in isolation, but little effort has been directed toward systematically characterizing the conservation of host response on a global level beyond known immune signaling cascades.

Macaque proteome response to highly pathogenic avian influenza and 1918 reassortant influenza virus infections.

The host proteome response and molecular mechanisms that drive disease in vivo during infection by a human isolate of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) and 1918 pandemic influenza virus remain poorly understood. This study presents a comprehensive characterization of the proteome response in cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis) lung tissue over 7 days of infection with HPAI (the most virulent), a reassortant virus containing 1918 hemagglutinin and neuraminidase surface proteins (intermediate virulence), or a human seasonal strain (least virulent). A high-sensitivity two-dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy strategy and functional network analysis were implemented to gain insight into response pathways activated in macaques during influenza virus infection.

Vaccination of rhesus macaques with the anthrax vaccine adsorbed vaccine produces a serum antibody response that effectively neutralizes receptor-bound protective antigen in vitro.

Anthrax toxin (ATx) is composed of the binary exotoxins lethal toxin (LTx) and edema toxin (ETx). They have separate effector proteins (edema factor and lethal factor) but have the same binding protein, protective antigen (PA). PA is the primary immunogen in the current licensed vaccine anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA [BioThrax]).

Upregulation of gamma-2 laminin-332 in the mouse ear vesicant wound model.

Epithelial cell migration during wound healing is regulated in part by enzymatic processing of laminin-332 (formerly LN-5), a heterodimer formed from alpha, beta, and gamma polypeptide chains. Under static conditions, laminin-332 is secreted into the extracellular matrix as a proform and has two chains processed to smaller forms, allowing it to anchor epithelial cells to the basement membrane of the dermis. During incisional wounding, laminin gamma2 chains in particular are processed to smaller sizes and function to promote epithelial sheet migration over the wound bed.