SHENZHEN, CHINA – AUGUST 26: (CHINA OUT) China-made detection reagent of Ebola virus producted by Shenzhen Puruikang Biotechnology Co., Ltd. is seen on August 26, 2014 in Shenzhen, Guangdong province of China. Shenzhen Puruikang Biotechnology Co., Ltd. obtained production approval and became the China’s only detection reagent of Ebola virus supplier. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images).
In response to the devastating Ebola outbreak in West Africa—that the World Health Organization recently said “could infect 20,000 people before it is over”—the National Institute of Health is expediting human trials for a new experimental vaccine.
In a release, NIH said they will begin human testing of an “investigational vaccine to prevent Ebola virus disease” next week at their Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md. It will mark the first of several Phase 1 clinical trials to examine the effectiveness of a new vaccine—called the NIAID/GSK vaccine—that, if effective, would cause an immunity response to those infected with the virus.
“There is an urgent need for a protective Ebola vaccine, and it is important to establish that a vaccine is safe and spurs the immune system to react in a way necessary to protect against infection,” NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. said in a release“The NIH is playing a key role in accelerating the development and testing of investigational Ebola vaccines.”
According to the NIH, the vaccine, which was developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada and licensed to NewLink Genetics Corp., “delivers one part of Ebola’s genetic material to human cells,” which triggers an immune response to those infected. Additionally, he vaccine can’t cause those vaccinated to become infected with Ebola and proved successful in primate testing. “The experimental NIAID/GSK vaccine performed extremely well in protecting nonhuman primates from Ebola infection,” Dr. Fauci also said.
While this is just the first of three phases in determining if the new experimental vaccine is effective in fighting the Ebola virus, officials with NIH are expediting the trials and research for obvious reasons. After the human testing of the first phase, Phase 2 will begin, in which “clinical trials of investigational vaccines are designed to further assess safety and immune response in larger numbers of volunteers,” followed by a third phase in which “clinical trials are directed predominantly at determining efficacy.”
The NIH says the data from Phase 1 is expected to be released in late 2014 and, if it proves successful, those affected in West Africa “could receive the drug sometime next year, though that timeline remains uncertain,” the Post reports.
“Today we know the best way to prevent the spread of Ebola infection is through public health measures, including good infection control practices, isolation, contact tracing, quarantine, and provision of personal protective equipment,” Dr. Fauci added. “However, a vaccine will ultimately be an important tool in the prevention effort. The launch of Phase 1 Ebola vaccine studies is the first step in a long process.”
