The United Kingdom has commenced human trials of a new Ebola vaccine developed in just eight weeks following the outbreak of the deadly disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The experimental vaccine, developed by scientists at the University of Oxford, received approval from the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to begin early-stage clinical trials.
Researchers said the vaccine is the first of four candidates currently under development to reach human testing.
The first doses are expected to be administered to healthy adult volunteers in the UK within weeks.
The latest Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, has claimed at least 625 lives and infected 1,792 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Unlike previous outbreaks, there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo species of Ebola.
The Oxford vaccine uses the same viral vector technology employed in the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, allowing scientists to rapidly adapt the platform for emerging diseases.
Chief investigator of the trial, Dr Katrina Pollock, said the research team had been preparing for such an emergency.
“We’re doing phase one trials of new vaccines all the time, precisely to be ready for exactly this kind of outbreak,” she said.
The initial trial will involve 50 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 55, while preparations are also underway for trials in Uganda.
Researchers said volunteers would be monitored for one year to assess safety and immune response.
The Serum Institute of India has already manufactured and stockpiled about 620,000 doses of the vaccine in readiness for wider deployment if proven effective.
Scientists said the vaccine does not contain the Ebola virus itself but uses a harmless modified virus to deliver a small piece of Ebola genetic material, enabling the body’s immune system to recognise and fight the disease if exposed.
The World Health Organization has warned that the ongoing outbreak remains difficult to contain due to insecurity and population movement in affected areas.
