Washington Research Foundation (WRF) has awarded a $275,000 technology commercialization grant to Dr. David Koelle, a professor of Medicine and Laboratory Medicine & Pathology at the University of Washington. The funding will support the continued development of a novel messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutic vaccine aimed at improving treatment options for patients with genital herpes. This follows a previous $100,000 grant from WRF in 2024 that supported early-stage research on the project.
Genital herpes, caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), affects about 20% of people aged 15 to 49 worldwide. The virus exists as two species: HSV-1 and HSV-2. It is highly contagious, spreading primarily through sexual contact and skin-to-skin transmission, including from mother to infant during childbirth. The condition can cause painful outbreaks, significantly impacting the patient’s quality of life and increasing healthcare costs and burden. HSV-2, in particular, is associated with recurrent genital symptoms, elevates the risk of HIV transmission and can be severe in immunocompromised individuals.
