Lassa fever, which causes the death of scores of Nigerians annually, will soon be preventable by vaccination, an expert has said.
A renowned virologist and the Chief Executive Officer of Innovative Biotech, Simeon Agwale, said that Lassa fever vaccine produced by a Nigerian has scaled through preclinical trials involving mice and non-human primates.
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Mr Agwale disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Saturday in Abuja.
He said that this development has raised the hope for controlling the deadly viral disease.
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Scores of Nigerians die annually from Lassa fever.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported that over 138 people died from the disease between January and 15 May with a 19.3 per cent case fatality rate.
The report stated the figure is a rise from the 18.0 per cent recorded within the same period in 2024.
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The reports also said that a total of 717 confirmed cases were recorded as of Week 18, with four new states (Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, and Benue) reporting cases in the current week alone.
The report noted that 71 per cent of all confirmed cases originated from three states: Ondo, 30 per cent, Bauchi, 25 per cent and Taraba, 16 per cent, signalling persistent hotspots in spite of nationwide interventions.
Vaccine License
In the Saturday interview, Mr Agwale said that the vaccine, licensed from the University of Melbourne by Pac-Man Biologics demonstrated 100 per cent protection during trials.
“This vaccine by a Nigerian is the only one so far demonstrating efficacy against the Nigerian strain of the Lassa virus, which differs from the widely used Josiah strain originating from Senegal,” he said.
“We have the exclusive license for the vaccine for use in Africa. We pay royalties to the University of Melbourne and that’s how the innovation ecosystem works.
”’They did the foundational work and we are building on it,” he said.
He explained that five out of five unvaccinated mice died after being challenged with the virus, while all vaccinated mice survived.
“Similar results were recorded in a non-human primate study, where all unvaccinated animals died on day 22, but all vaccinated ones survived,” he said.
“This is 100 per cent protection. It shows great promise, and we hope to complete the Phase 1 clinical trials soon.”
He also stated that the vaccine doses for clinical trials are being produced in the United States, under a technology transfer arrangement, pending the completion of Nigeria’s vaccine production facility.
Although the vaccine has passed a major hurdle, it has not completed the testing phase and will also have to be approved by local and global health regulators before it can be mass produced for use on humans.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, typically transmitted to humans through exposure to food or household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats.
The disease, which is endemic in several parts of Nigeria, can also spread from person to person, particularly in healthcare settings without adequate infection prevention measures.
Nigeria’s university system
Beyond the vaccine success, Mr Agwale strongly criticised Nigeria’s outdated academic system, especially in postgraduate training and research.
“We spent millions sending lecturers abroad for postdoctoral trainings without results.
“Every postdoctoral position in the US is funded already, so why send people with extra funds and no structure back home to apply their skills?” he queried.
He warned that unless Nigeria revamps its university curricula to focus on specific, market-relevant training like “vaccinology and drug development,” the country would continue to lag in science and innovation.
READ ALSO: Lassa fever, meningitis kill 366 in 24 states – NCDC
“We still run master’s in microbiology with nine courses per semester, what’s the purpose of that? We need focused programmes.
“A graduate in vaccinology should understand how vaccines are developed, tested and manufactured,” he said.
He urged universities to take ownership of research by generating funds through problem-solving innovations rather than relying solely on government support.
“We must build research centres and retain talent. Innovation must solve national issues, not just earn foreign degrees,” he said.
He said that collaboration with global partners and deployment of local capacity was critical to achieving health security and scientific self-reliance.
“This is not about being a local champion. You must compete with the best globally because health emergencies don’t wait,” he said.
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