Lassa hemorrhagic fever is a disease that is endemic in West Africa, where every year it is estimated to routinely infect 300,000 to 500,000 people per year and cause approximately 5,000 deaths. During some seasons, the case-fatality rate can reach 50%. The Lassa fever virus, which is normally spread by a single species of West African rodent, is considered to be a potential bioweapon which could be used against countries on other continents.

Under a $3.8 million biodefense challenge grant awarded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Autoimmune Technologies and several consortium partners are developing a new ELISA test kit and other tests and Lassa-related products using recombinant viral proteins and monoclonal antibodies that have recently been created by the consortium. The ELISA kits have successfully completed initial clinical testing to diagnose Lassa fever in Sierra Leone. Autoimmune believes that the new diagnostic and detection products could have a significant impact on healthcare in West Africa and also fill a critical gap in bioterrorism defense.