UK starts first vaccine trial, eight weeks into Ebola emergency

A new Ebola vaccine will now be tested on people. The UK regulator approved the trials. Scientists at the University of Oxford developed the vaccine in just eight weeks. This happened after a public health emergency was declared on May 17.

This vaccine is the first of four in development to reach clinical trials. Volunteers are being recruited. The first doses will be given to healthy adults in the UK "within weeks."

The Urgent Need for a Vaccine

The current Ebola epidemic is centered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has killed 625 people and caused 1,792 confirmed cases. This outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola. This species has caused two previous outbreaks.

There are six different species of Ebola. They are like "sisters rather than twins." This means they need different treatments and vaccines. Currently, there are no approved drugs or vaccines for this specific species. The outbreak is still not under control. It is happening in a conflict zone with many mobile populations. This makes a vaccine even more critical to stop the disease from spreading.

Dr. Katrina Pollock leads the clinical trials at the University of Oxford. She explained that they constantly do early-stage trials for new vaccines. This prepares them for outbreaks like this one.

The trial will involve 50 healthy adults aged 18-55. Researchers are also working with partners in Uganda to prepare for trials in Africa. Volunteers will be monitored for a year. However, scientists expect to quickly learn if the vaccine creates the right immune response or any unexpected side effects.

How the Vaccine Works

The Oxford team developed this vaccine quickly using technology from the Covid pandemic. This is the same technology used in the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid vaccine.

The vaccine uses a common cold virus that infects chimpanzees. This virus is genetically modified to be safe. It acts like an envelope. Researchers place a snippet of genetic code from the Bundibugyo species of Ebola inside this "envelope."

The vaccine does not cause an infection. Instead, the genetic code snippet produces one viral protein from Ebola inside the body. This is enough to trigger the immune system. It learns to recognize the threat and build an immune response. This gives the body a head start if it encounters the real Ebola virus.

Rapid Development and Safety

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The vaccine has been developed and tested on mice and macaque monkeys. The Serum Institute of India is manufacturing it to clinical standards. They have already made and stockpiled about 620,000 doses. The UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency approved human trials based on this data.

Vaccine researcher Alex Sampson noted that they scaled up quickly once they heard about the outbreak. Vaccines usually take up to ten years to develop and prove effective. However, Sampson stressed that no steps are being skipped. They are doing all the usual tests, but in parallel. This means many teams are working around the clock.

The Oxford Covid vaccine saved an estimated six million lives in its first year. Hundreds of millions of doses have been given. However, it was restricted in some countries due to rare blood clots. These affected about one in 100,000 people.

It is possible this new Ebola vaccine carries the same risk. However, this risk is much lower than the threat from the Bundibugyo species of Ebola. That species kills about one-third of those infected. Dr. Pollock stated that severe side effects are "very rare." They carefully considered the implications for trials on healthy people. Any risks will be shared with volunteers. She emphasized that the Covid AstraZeneca vaccine was given safely to millions of people.

Three other vaccines are also being developed for the Bundibugyo species of Ebola. These include one from Moderna using mRNA technology. The International Aids Vaccine Initiative and Public Health Vaccines are using a technique proven for another Ebola species. However, this method is slower to manufacture.