Vaccine to stop mother-to-baby (congenital) CMV infection
Efficacy of CMV vFcR vaccines to prevent congenital CMV transmission
A new vaccine approach aims to help pregnant people make antibodies that prevent CMV from crossing the placenta and infecting their babies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11169083 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project focuses on a vaccine strategy that blocks viral proteins which hijack antibody functions, using lab tests and animal models to see if removing those viral proteins improves antibody protection. Researchers engineer viruses lacking viral Fc receptors and compare how the immune system clears these viruses versus normal viruses, including experiments in pregnant rhesus macaques. The goal is to design vaccines that produce stronger protective antibodies than natural infection, reducing the chance a baby is infected before birth. If promising, the work would move toward human testing to protect people during pregnancy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who are pregnant or planning pregnancy, especially those who have not had CMV before, would be the main candidates for a future vaccine approach.
Not a fit: People whose babies are already infected in utero or individuals with established CMV disease are unlikely to benefit from a preventive vaccine.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the vaccine could greatly reduce the number of babies born with congenital CMV and lower rates of lifelong neurologic problems from the infection.
How similar studies have performed: Several CMV vaccine candidates have shown promise in research and early trials but none are yet licensed, and targeting viral Fc receptors is a newer approach mostly tested in the lab and animal models.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Permar, Sallie R. — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Permar, Sallie R.
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 below.