Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection

General Information

EBV is the first human tumour virus discovered and is strongly implicated in the etiology of multiple lymphoid and epithelial cancers, such as Burkitt lymphoma (BL), Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and gastric carcinoma (GC).

EBV is also the primary cause of infectious mononucleosis that could cause persistent fatigue for up to 6 months and cause severe neurologic, haematologic, or liver complications.

EBV has been shown to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.

There are no vaccines or treatments against EBV infection.

Transmission

EBV spreads most commonly through bodily fluids, primarily saliva.

Symptoms

EBV infections in children usually do not cause symptoms, or the symptoms are not distinguishable from other mild, brief childhood illnesses.

People who get symptoms from EBV infection, usually teenagers or adults, get better in two to four weeks, however fatigue can last longer.

Common symptoms include: fever, fatigue, inflamed throat, enlarged spleen, swollen liver, rash.

Epidemiology

Up to 70% of adolescents and young adults in developed countries suffer from infectious mononucleosis.​

Each year EBV associated cancers account for over 200,000 new cases of cancer and cause 150,000 deaths worldwide.

Vaccines Pipeline

2
Vaccines in
the pipeline

TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS

mRNA (2)

DEVELOPMENT PHASES

Phase I (2)

TRIAL POPULATION

Adults (2)