Merck Ebola vaccine shows promise
pharmafile | December 4, 2014 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | Ebola, Merck, VSV-ZEBOV, WHO, hug, newlink genetics
Merck and NewLink Genetics’ experimental Ebola vaccine has shown no major side effects in its first trial according to the hospital conducting the study – although there were some cases of mild fever.
The VSV-ZEBOV vaccine was given to 34 volunteers at the request of the World Health Organisation (WHO), who were then kept under observation for one and a half hours following injection.
“To date, no major side effects have been observed after the injections, which triggered the expected inflammatory responses,” the University Hospitals of Geneva says in a statement. “[The inflammatory responses] have been weak to moderate, with limited cases of mild fever.”
Further trials have recently begun in Gabon, the US, Germany and Canada, with more planned to start in Kenya soon.
Merck entered into a licensing agreement with NewLink in November, gaining the rights to the vaccine and any follow-on products.
In a statement to Pharmafile Merck says: “We are encouraged by these initial results and look forward to the availability of the final results of this study as well as those from the additional Phase I clinical trials that are now underway.
“Effective Ebola vaccines will be a critical component of comprehensive prevention and control measures for people at risk of Ebola virus infection and to stem future outbreaks globally.”
Race to find a vaccine
Last week GlaxoSmithKline’s Ebola vaccine candidate also showed promising results in early trials – although the company has cautioned that it will likely come ‘too late’ for the current outbreak.
As with VSV-ZEBOV, GSK’s study was small and limited to a single country, but other trials across the world are underway.
Meanwhile, Johnson and Johnson is set to begin trials of its own vaccine in early 2015 after fast-tracking its development. Takeda has told Pharmafile it too is looking at its pipeline ‘very carefully’ and identifying potential candidates.
WHO is also allowing untested Ebola treatments to be used on patients in West Africa, with somewhat mixed results reported so far.
The current death toll of the Ebola outbreak is thought to be over 6,000. So far it has mainly affected the West African countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, with the few cases in other African countries, Europe and the US now thought to have been dealt with.
However, earlier this week a hospital in Massachusetts, US, said it was treating a possible Ebola patient whose identity has not been disclosed.
George Underwood
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