Multivalent mRNA Vaccines for Broad Protection against Orthoparamyxoviruses

Orthoparamyxoviruses are a subfamily of viruses that include multiple human pathogens. Within it there are several genera that are of concern due to their pandemic potential, these include: respiroviruses, pneumoviruses, and henipaviruses. The latter includes Nipah virus (NiV), Hendra virus, both zoonotic infections with case fatality rates ranging from 40-90%, and Langya virus, which has caused non-fatal infections in China, and the pandemic potential remains unknown. Within the respiroviruses, parainfluenza viruses 1 and 3 and human metapneumovirus accounts for significant morbidity every year, as well as thousands of deaths, particularly amongst children, the elderly and the immunocompromised. This proposal seeks to develop mRNA vaccines that contain multiple antigens and will provide broad protection against these viruses. These vaccines will undergo safety, immunogenicity and challenge studies in multiple animal models to generate pre-clinical data. Collectively, this has the potential to improve Canada's pandemic preparedness through vaccine development by building research capacity thereby making us more ready to respond to global infectious disease threats.