CCHFV-M based DNA vaccine is highly immunogenic in multiple species and protects against challenge in cynomolgus macaques

immunity reaching significance. Upon intravenous infection with CCHFV, the vaccine protected 5/6 animals against viremia and reduced the pro-inflammatory response compared to sham vaccinated macaques. Numerous macaques also had detectable viral protein and viral RNA in several tissues 28 days post infection. In addition, we determined that an alternative delivery modality, jet injection, was immunogenic in both rabbits and mice, and conferred significant protection in mice. The simplicity and efficacy of disposable syringe needle-free injection system (NFIS) provides a pragmatic approach to advance the CCHF-M DNA vaccine into the clinic. Our M-segment based DNA vaccine elicits both cellular and humoral immunity and significant protection in mice and NHPs, demonstrating for the first time that a vaccine based on the glycoproteins alone is efficacious in the NHP model, which has not previously been shown.