Major breakthrough in vaccine development for deadly virus with 75% fatality rate
Scientists close in on vaccine against lethal virus
- A vaccine for the lethal Nipah virus, developed by the University of Oxford, has commenced phase two trials in Bangladesh.
- The Nipah virus is a life-threatening disease with no approved vaccine or treatment, boasting a fatality rate of up to 75 per cent and recognised by the WHO as a research priority due to its pandemic potential.
- Phase one trials in Oxford, involving 51 participants, have been safely completed with results anticipated soon.
- The current phase two trials, funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and in partnership with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, will enrol 306 healthy participants.
- Researchers are hailing the development as a crucial step towards protecting vulnerable populations and ensuring equitable access to protection against emerging infectious diseases.