Frontier IP Group PLC on Monday said that its portfolio company, Vaccine Group, has successfully completed a project to develop a transmissible vaccine for use in the rats that spread Lassa fever, in order to reduce its threat to humans.

Frontier IP is a London-based company which, through its subsidiaries, provides consultancy services to assist universities, research institutions, and companies in the commercialisation and exploitation of their intellectual property in the UK.

Vaccine Group, which is a spin out from the University of Plymouth, is developing vaccines based on benign forms of herpesviruses. These are a group of viruses found in all animals, including humans.

Vaccine Group on Monday said that the recently completed trial proved its vaccine could be transmitted between rats, significantly improving their immunity to the disease and reducing its spread between them.

Technology with the potential to scale up the vaccine for commercial production was also developed as part of the project.

The work was funded by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and involved Vaccine Group collaborating with academic partners from around the world. It was led by University of California, Davis.

‘The success of this project provides strong vindication for [Vaccine Group’s] herpesvirus-based vaccine technology. Transmissible vaccines have the potential to tackle a range of zoonotic threats emerging in wild animal reservoirs, and we are looking forward to seeing further progress on Lassa fever,’ said Frontier IP Chief Executive Officer Neil Crabb.

Frontier IP Group shares were trading 0.8% higher at 83.70 pence each on Monday afternoon in London.

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