Ebola vaccine in human trial proves successful

An Ebola vaccine being developed by the National Institute of Allergy and infectious disease (NIAID) alongside GlaxoSmithKline may play a major role in bringing the Ebola epidemic to an end as an experimental Ebola vaccine designed to boost the immune system’s production of antibodies has produced positive results during a US trial. No serious side effects have been reported, however, two volunteers who received high dose vaccine developed fever within 24 hours, which was resolved with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications.

The vaccine was developed by Nancy J. Sullivan, Ph.D., chief of the Biodefense Research Section in NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center, scientists at the Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases and Okairos, a Swiss-Italian biotechnology company that is currently owned by the pharmaceutical giant, GlaxoSmithKline.

The vaccine is composed of a type of chimpanzee cold virus called chimp adenovirus type 3(ChAd3). The virus doesn’t replicate once it enters human cells, but it does trigger an immune response.

This new development undoubtedly will be critically important in preventing future large outbreaks.