One-dose vaccine candidate for Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) to protect people
Official title: A Single-Dose Long-Lasting Live-Attenuated Chimeric Vaccine Candidate Against the Emerging Tick-Borne Kyasanur Forest Disease
Funded at Utah State University · NIH-11394258 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A single-dose, live-attenuated chimeric vaccine is being developed to prevent Kyasanur Forest disease in people who may be exposed to the virus.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Logan, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $344,093 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI187430-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11394258 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals at risk for KFDV exposure, such as researchers and healthcare workers in affected regions, or populations identified as potential future trial participants.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not at risk for KFDV exposure or those with contraindications to vaccines may not benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
This project builds on a vaccine platform that has worked in animals and mice to create a chimeric vaccine against KFDV. Researchers will test a live-attenuated vaccine in preclinical models to measure safety and how well it protects against infection after one dose. The study will look at immune responses, including antibody levels, to see if a lasting protection can be achieved. If successful, this work could move toward clinical testing in people who are at risk of exposure to KFDV.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the vaccine could prevent serious illness from KFDV and reduce global health risk from this emerging pathogen.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work with flavivirus vaccines using the SA14-14-2 platform showed promising preclinical protection with a single dose in mice.
Where this research is happening
-
Utah State University
Logan, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Young-Min — Utah State University
- Study coordinator: Lee, Young-Min
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.