Korede Abdullah in Lagos
A landmark Lassa fever vaccine developed by a Nigerian scientist has shown 100% protection in preclinical trials involving mice and non-human primates, according to the CEO of Innovative Biotech, Dr. Simeon Agwale.
In an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, Agwale revealed that the vaccine—licensed from the University of Melbourne by Pac-Man Biologics—demonstrated full efficacy against the Nigerian strain of the virus, distinguishing it from other candidates based on the Josiah strain from Senegal.
“This vaccine by a Nigerian is the only one so far demonstrating efficacy against the Nigerian strain of the Lassa virus,” Agwale stated, emphasizing the critical relevance of the breakthrough.
He added, “This is 100 per cent protection. It shows great promise, and we hope to complete the Phase 1 clinical trials soon.”
Agwale explained that in the mouse trial, all unvaccinated mice died after being exposed to the virus, while all vaccinated mice survived. The same result was seen in a primate study, where “all unvaccinated animals died on day 22, but all vaccinated ones survived.”
While vaccine doses for upcoming clinical trials are being produced in the United States under a technology transfer scheme, Agwale said this will change once Nigeria’s vaccine production facility becomes operational.
“We have the exclusive license for the vaccine for use in Africa. We pay royalties to the University of Melbourne and that’s how the innovation ecosystem works,” he said. “They did the foundational work, and we are building on it.”
Beyond the scientific milestone, Agwale issued a stern critique of Nigeria’s higher education and research framework, particularly in postgraduate training.
He questioned the rationale behind sending academics abroad with millions in funding, only to bring them back to an unstructured system.
“Every postdoctoral position in the U.S. is funded already, so why send people with extra funds and no structure back home to apply their skills?” he asked.
He advocated for a drastic curriculum overhaul, pointing out: “We still run masters in Microbiology with nine courses per semester, what’s the purpose of that? We need focused programmes.”
He called on universities to adopt problem-solving innovation models and stop relying solely on government funding, asserting, “We must build research centres and retain talent. Innovation must solve national issues, not just earn foreign degrees.”
