IU awarded $1.2M to develop first-of-its-kind rotavirus-norovirus vaccine for infants

Indiana University will further develop a new technology for a combination oral rotavirus-norovirus vaccine for infants, thanks to a $1.2 million grant from venture capital firm GIVAX Inc. The technology, first developed by IU Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences biology professor John Patton and graduate student Asha Philip, changes the readily available rotavirus vaccine to also protect against norovirus, a highly contagious virus that can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea in young children. “We like to think of it as a vaccine for the world,” Patton said. “The children that are the most at risk of dying from these viral infections are in developing countries. We’re modifying a vaccine that is already widely used, giving it greater potential. We think this has strong advantages over other potential options, where you have to use needles and have trained personnel deliver it.” No vaccine currently exists that can prevent norovirus infection, Patton said. And...