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A clinical trial to assess whether a self-amplifying ribonucleic acid (saRNA) vaccine against Rabies viruses is safe and induces immune responses

A phase I clinical trial to assess the reactogenicity, tolerability and immunogenicity of a self-amplifying ribonucleic acid (saRNA) vaccine encoding the surface glycoprotein of rabies virus (RAB-Vac)

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Source
ISRCTN
Registry ID
ISRCTN91975924
Enrollment
48
Registered
2026-05-22
Start date
2026-05-31
Completion date
Unknown
Last updated
2026-06-01

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Rabies Infections and Infestations

Interventions

RAB-Vac is a single-blinded, randomised Phase I trial using the online tool “sealed envelope” to generate randomisation lists. Healthy participants aged 18-50 years will be enrolled at a single centre
LNP-RABVsaRNA-01 via the intramuscular route at three timepoints. There will be 6 groups with 8 participants per group. A total of 48 participants will be recruited to the trial. Blood samples will be

Sponsors

Imperial College London
Lead Sponsor

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 50 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Healthy adults, aged 18-50 years on the day of screening 2. Willing and able to provide written informed consent 3. If female and of childbearing potential, willing to use a highly effective method of contraception from screening until 18 weeks after last injection 4. If male and not sterilised, willing to avoid impregnating female partners from screening until 18 weeks after last injection 5. Willing to avoid all other vaccines from within 4 weeks before and after the first and second injection 6. Willing and able to comply with visit schedule, complete online diaries and provide samples 7. Willing to abstain from donating blood for 3 months after the end of their participation in the trial or longer, if necessary 8. Willing to grant authorised persons access to his/her trial-related medical record and GP records either directly or indirectly 1. A woman will be considered of childbearing potential following menarche and until becoming post-menopausal unless permanently sterile. Permanent sterilisation methods include hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy and bilateral oophorectomy. A post-menopausal state is defined as no menses for 18 months without an alternative medical cause. 2. The following methods are considered highly effective: 2.1. Combined (estrogen and progestogen containing) hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation – oral, intravaginal or transdermal 2.2. Progestogen-only hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation – oral, injectable or implantable 2.3. Intrauterine device (IUD) 2.4. Intrauterine hormone-releasing system (IUS) 2.5. Bilateral tubal occlusion 2.6. Vasectomised partner, where the vasectomised partner has received medical assessment of the surgical success 2.7. Sexual abstinence, defined as refraining from heterosexual intercourse – must be the preferred and usual lifestyle of the participant 3. Nonclinical studies of saRNAs showed maximal expression of the vaccine immunogen at 7 days post-immunisation, approaching baseline by 3 weeks post-immunisation, with some residual very low expression seen out to 9 weeks. Biodistribution studies with LNP-RABVsaRNA are planned, but in the absence of data we wish to take a conservative approach to the contraception period and require an 18-week washout period. 4. Through the use of condoms or sexual abstinence It is recommended that participants have an up to date vaccination status for any required immunisations.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Pregnant or lactating 2. Has a significant clinical history, physical finding on clinical examination during screening, or presence of a disease that is active or requires treatment to control it, including cardiac, respiratory, endocrine, metabolic, autoimmune, liver, neurological, oncological, psychiatric, immunosuppressive/immunodeficient or other disorders which in the opinion of the investigator is not compatible with healthy status, may compromise the volunteer’s safety, preclude vaccination or compromise interpretation of the immune response to vaccine. Individuals with mild/moderate, well-controlled comorbidities are allowed. 3. History of rabies infection 4. History of anaphylaxis or angioedema 5. History of severe or multiple allergies to drugs or pharmaceutical agents 6. History of severe local or general reaction to vaccination defined as: 6.1. Local: extensive, indurated redness and swelling involving most of the arm, not resolving within 72 hours 6.2. General: fever =39.5 °C within 48 hours; bronchospasm; laryngeal oedema; collapse; convulsions or encephalopathy within 72 hours 7. Have ever received an experimental or authorised vaccine against Rabies virus 8. Receipt of any immunosuppressive agents within 18 weeks of screening by any route other than topical 9. Detection of antibodies to hepatitis C 10. Detection of antibodies to HIV 11. Grade 1i and above abnormalities in routine laboratory parameters (see Table 4) using the FDA toxicity table Toxicity Grading Scale for Healthy Adult and Adolescent Volunteers Enrolled in Preventive Vaccine Clinical Trials, taking account of local laboratory reference ranges. https://www.fda.gov/media/73679/download 12. Participating in another clinical trial with an investigational drug or device or treated with an investigational drug within 28 days of screening. 13. Has received an immunisation within 28 days of screening Trace of protein and/or blood on dipstick urinalysis and ALT/AST =1.2 x ULN are not exclusion criteria

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
The safety of a self-amplifying ribonucleic acid (saRNA) vaccine encoding the surfaceglycoprotein of Rabies virus, assessed using: 1. Solicited local injection site reactions starting within 7 days of administration of the vaccine: pain, tenderness, erythema, swelling. These will be measured using a participant diary card. 2. Solicited systemic reactions starting within 7 days of administration of the vaccine: pyrexia, fatigue, myalgia, headache, chills, arthralgia. These will be measured using a participant diary card 3. Unsolicited adverse reactions (ARs) recorded throughout the trial period (including serious ARs) 4. Serious adverse events recorded throughout the trial period 5. Unsolicited adverse events recorded throughout the trial period

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
The immunogenicity of a self-amplifying ribonucleic acid (saRNA) vaccine encoding the surface glycoprotein of Rabies virus, measured using the titre of vaccine-induced neutralising antibody responses to the Rabies virus surface glycoproteins at 4 weeks after the second vaccinations

Countries

England, United Kingdom

Contacts

Public ContactMarta Boffito
marta.boffito@nhs.net+44 (0)208 3156148

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Jun 11, 2026