LakeShore Biopharma (Nasdaq: LSB) has announced the submission of a Biologics License Application (BLA) to Pakistan's Drug Regulatory Authority (DRAP) for its PIKA rabies vaccine. This action follows successful results from a pivotal Phase 3 trial, indicating the vaccine's potential to offer accelerated protection within a one-week regimen, contrasting with the conventional three- to four-week schedules. The company's existing rabies vaccine, YSJA, has protected tens of millions of patients in China from this deadly disease.
Phase 3 Trial Highlights
The Phase 3 trial, a randomized, comparator-controlled, double-blind, multicenter study, included 4,500 participants from the Philippines and Pakistan. The study was designed to evaluate the immunogenicity, safety, and consistency across different lots of the PIKA Rabies Vaccine in healthy adults. Participants received the vaccine on a 7-day schedule, compared to a globally marketed comparator vaccine administered following a standard 28-day regimen. The primary immunogenicity endpoints were the geometric mean titers (GMTs) of rabies virus neutralizing antibodies (RVNA) and RVNA seroconversion rate at Day 14 in the first 900 participants. The PIKA Rabies Vaccine demonstrated an accelerated and higher seroconversion rate while maintaining a highly tolerable safety profile.
Addressing Rabies in Pakistan
Pakistan is among the top five countries globally for human rabies prevalence, reporting over 1.5 million dog bites and an estimated 2,000–5,000 human deaths annually. These figures are likely underestimated due to underreporting and the high cost and inaccessibility of current rabies vaccines in public health sectors. Rabies has an almost 100% fatality rate once clinical symptoms appear, leading to approximately 59,000 deaths annually in over 150 countries. More than 95% of rabies fatalities result from bites by infected dogs, with 40% of victims being children under 15. While rabies is typically fatal without treatment, timely post-exposure prophylaxis can effectively prevent death.
PIKA Adjuvant Technology
The PIKA Rabies Vaccine leverages LakeShore Biopharma’s proprietary PIKA adjuvant technology, which is based on the Toll-like receptor 3 immunological pathway. This technology is designed to elicit a more robust immune response in an accelerated timeframe compared to existing rabies vaccines. The vaccine has been granted orphan drug designation by the US FDA for the prevention of rabies virus infection, including post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
Expert Commentary
Dr. Zenaida Mojares, Chief Medical Officer of LakeShore Biopharma, stated, "The promising results from our pivotal trial validate the potential of PIKA technology to generate a stronger and faster immune response... We eagerly anticipate the early approval of this innovative therapy for the benefit of patients worldwide."
