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Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics

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Progress Towards an Epstein-Barr Virus Vaccine

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Article collection guest advisor(s)

Dr Craig Laferriére , iosBio Ltd

Dr. Lawrence Young, Warwick University

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Progress Towards an Epstein-Barr Virus Vaccine

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, in conjunction with Guest Advisors Dr. Craig Laferriere and Dr. Lawrence Young, is pleased to announce a new Article Collection dedicated to recent advances in the development of an Epstein-Barr Virus vaccine.

The compelling link between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS), strongly evidenced by a recent large-scale longitudinal study, presents a significant opportunity and challenge for preventative medicine. Beyond MS, preventing EBV infection could also avert infectious mononucleosis, inflammatory bowel disease and a range of malignancies, including Burkitt lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and certain gastrointestinal cancers. Given that over 90% of the adult population is chronically infected with this pervasive herpesvirus, identifying target populations for vaccination and developing effective prophylactic strategies are critical. This Article Collection and Call for Papers welcomes submissions that explore all facets of EBV prevention, from vaccine development and immunotherapeutic approaches to epidemiological studies and the identification of at-risk groups. We encourage research that illuminates the complex interplay between EBV and human health, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in public health.

An Article Collection focused on EBV vaccines is incredibly important due to the intricate challenges in developing a safe and effective vaccine. Such a vaccine holds the potential to prevent not only EBV infection itself but also a range of debilitating diseases it causes, most notably MS.

The impact of MS is profound. It affects approximately 1 in 500 individuals, meaning most of us know someone living with this challenging condition. MS patients often face significant hurdles in their daily lives, including maintaining careers, raising families, and enduring bouts of debilitating fatigue. On average, individuals with MS have a seven-year shorter lifespan than those without the disease. The financial burden is also substantial, with MS costing the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $63 billion annually in direct costs, primarily for medications.

Beyond MS, an EBV vaccine would offer global benefits by preventing a variety of cancers. For instance, Burkitt lymphoma, which predominantly affects children with a median age of six in central Africa, is almost always fatal. Preventing these devastating diseases underscores the immense significance of accelerating research and development in EBV vaccination.

The questions involved in the development of an EBV vaccine outlines the subject and subtopics for the Collection:

  • Which viral antigens are most crucial for inducing protective immunity against both lytic and latent EBV infection?
  • What is the optimal combination and presentation of these antigens to maximize immunogenicity and elicit both humoral (antibody) and cellular (T-cell) immunity?
  • How can we best target both B cells and epithelial cells, the primary infection targets of EBV, with a single vaccine?
  • What are the definitive immune correlates of protection against primary EBV infection and subsequent disease development (e.g., infectious mononucleosis, MS, cancers)?
  • How does the immune response to natural EBV infection compare to that induced by different vaccine candidates, and what lessons can be learned?
  • Which vaccine platform (e.g., subunit, viral vector-based, nanoparticle-based, mRNA) is most suitable for an EBV vaccine, considering factors like immunogenicity, safety, scalability, and stability?
  • Can a therapeutic vaccine also be developed to address established EBV infections and associated diseases, potentially by targeting EBV-infected B cells?
  • What is the epidemiology of EBV and its associated diseases?
  • What is the ideal age at which to vaccinate, given that EBV infection often occurs in early childhood but severe symptoms (like IM) are more common in adolescence/adulthood, and MS onset is later in life?
  • How can clinical trials be designed to efficiently assess vaccine efficacy against long-latency diseases like MS and various cancers, which can take decades to manifest?
  • What are the specific safety considerations for an EBV vaccine, especially given the chronic nature of the infection in most adults?
  • Can more physiologically relevant animal models be developed to accurately predict human immune responses and vaccine efficacy, moving beyond the limitations of current models (e.g., cottontop tamarins, rhesus macaques)?
  • What will be the design of a Phase 3 efficacy study with a meaningful disease prevention endpoint?
  • Why have EBV vaccine development programs to date failed (lessons learned)?
Keywords: Epstein-Barr Virus; Vaccine; Clinical Trial; Multiple Sclerosis; Cancer; Burkitt Lymphoma

­­All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member).

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 15 May 2026.

Please contact the Commissioning Editor Ashley Ambros with any queries and discount codes regarding this Article Collection.

Please be sure to select the appropriate Article Collection from the drop-down menu in the submission system.


Meet the Guest Advisors

Dr Craig Laferriére has pursued a diverse career in vaccine research and development. He led scientific teams for licensed vaccines at Biovac, GSK and Pfizer. His current role is the Chief Scientific Officer at iosBio Ltd where they are developing an oral Epstein-Barr virus vaccine.

Dr. Laferriére declares the following conflicts of interest:

  • Shareholder of Pfizer
  • Shareholder of iosBio Ltd.

Dr. Lawrence Young is Emeritus Professor of Molecular Oncology at the University of Warwick, where he also held many senior academic posts during his tenure at the University. His academic career spanned more than 40 years, very importantly contributing to our knowledge of EBV latency proteins and their connection to EBV-associated tumors.

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All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo desk assessment and peer-review as part of our standard editorial process. Guest Advisors for this collection will not be involved in peer-reviewing manuscripts unless they are an existing member of the Editorial Board. Please review the journal Aims and Scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.