The first
human trials of a new Ebola vaccine are today Tuesday Jan 06,2015 underway, the latest step
in attempts to halt the spread of the virus in West Africa.
Scientists
at Oxford University have immunised the first healthy volunteers with a
new drug, which they hope will protect people against the disease.
The
World Health Organisation said today more than 8,100 people have now
lost their lives to the virus, the majority in Guinea, Sierra Leone and
Liberia.
In September 2014 a separate trial was launched at the university, to test the effects of another potential vaccine.
The
Oxford Vaccine Group, part of the University of Oxford Department of
Paediatrics, aims to have vaccinated 72 healthy adult volunteers by the
end of this month.
Previous trials showed the vaccine was
successful in protecting primates against the Kikwit Zaire strain of
Ebola – which is similar to the virus causing the current outbreak in
Western Africa.
The new Ebola vaccine is being trialled by the Oxford Vaccine Group.
They aim to have vaccinated 72 healthy adult volunteers, aged 18 - 50, by the end of this month.
The
study involves a 'prime-boost' vaccine regime in which volunteers are
first given a 'prime' injection to stimulate an initial immune
response.
Two months later they are given an additional booster injection, intended to enhance the body's immune response.
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