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Zika virus (ZV), endemic to parts of Africa and Asia, caused a major epidemic in the Americas in 2014–2016. While ZV infection typically causes self-limited illness, the complications of Guillain-Barré syndrome and congenital malformations spurred intensive vaccine development. Following promising preclinical data, investigators evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of a DNA-based ZV vaccine encoding the premembrane and envelope antigens at two doses (1 mg and 2 mg) given in three injections (baseline, 1, and 3 months). This manufacturer-supported study enrolled 40 participants in the U.S. and Canada (median age, 38; 60% women). Passive antibody transfer experiments in a mouse challenge model also were performed.
Injection-site reactions o…