Researchers have concluded plans
to speed up vaccine trials on Ebola, which could make it possible for healthy
volunteers to start testing it as early as next month in three countries of
Gambia, Mali, and Britain.
The vaccines will be made
available to volunteers in Gambia, Mali, and Britain in effort to curb the
spread of the epidemic, which has killed over 1,552 in West Africa so far.
available to volunteers in Gambia, Mali, and Britain in effort to curb the
spread of the epidemic, which has killed over 1,552 in West Africa so far.
Researchers are hoping that the
trials could finish by the end of the year (2014). If the trials prove
successful, vaccines could then be given to people infected with Ebola, which
is spread through bodily fluids.
This was made known on Thursday by
leading pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, which is developing the vaccine
with the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Wellcome Trust,
which is partly financing the trials.
leading pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, which is developing the vaccine
with the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Wellcome Trust,
which is partly financing the trials.
The statement reads that: “A
candidate Ebola vaccine could be given to healthy volunteers in the UK, the
Gambia and Mali as early as September, as part of a series of safety trials of
potential vaccines.”
candidate Ebola vaccine could be given to healthy volunteers in the UK, the
Gambia and Mali as early as September, as part of a series of safety trials of
potential vaccines.”
However, the trials still require
ethical and regulatory approval, and will be funded by a £2.8 million grant
from the Wellcome Trust, Britain’s Medical Research Council (MRC) and the UK
Department for International Development (DFID).
ethical and regulatory approval, and will be funded by a £2.8 million grant
from the Wellcome Trust, Britain’s Medical Research Council (MRC) and the UK
Department for International Development (DFID).
The Oxford study will involve 60
healthy volunteers, while those in the Gambia and Mali will each involve 40.
healthy volunteers, while those in the Gambia and Mali will each involve 40.
This will also allow GSK to make
some 10,000 extra doses of the vaccine so that if the trials are successful, it
could be made available to the WHO quickly.
some 10,000 extra doses of the vaccine so that if the trials are successful, it
could be made available to the WHO quickly.
The safety tests of the vaccine
will take place at Oxford University alongside a US trial run by the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
will take place at Oxford University alongside a US trial run by the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
Nigeria has so far recorded 5
deaths, including the index case, a Liberian by name Patrick Sawyer who
imported the virus into the country in July.
deaths, including the index case, a Liberian by name Patrick Sawyer who
imported the virus into the country in July.
Last Tuesday, the Federal
Government announced a new resumption date for all private and public primary and
secondary schools in the country in order to curb the spread of the deadly
disease. They are now to resume on the 13th of October 2014.
Government announced a new resumption date for all private and public primary and
secondary schools in the country in order to curb the spread of the deadly
disease. They are now to resume on the 13th of October 2014.
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