The United Kingdom (UK) scientists at Oxford University are developing a new vaccine that could be used in the coming months to combat the Ebola virus outbreak.
The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has resulted in 750 suspected cases and 177 deaths.
Bundibugyo, a rare species of Ebola with no proven vaccine, kills roughly one-third of those infected.
According to the BBC, there are no guarantees that the vaccine will be effective, and it will require animal research and human trials to determine whether it will be.
However, scientists say they are working quickly in case the outbreak worsens, and their experimental vaccine is needed.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has upgraded the risk of the current Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo from “high” to “very high.”
“The risk is now regarded as high throughout the region, but it remains low globally,” it added.
This comes after the WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday, emphasising that the outbreak is not a pandemic.
The BBC also reports that the vaccine uses the same technology the team developed during the Covid pandemic.
According to the report, it is a highly adjustable technology – known as ChAdOx1 – that can be quickly tweaked so it works against different infections.
During the pandemic, it contained genetic code from the COVID-19 virus.
This time, it was prepared using genetic code from the Ebola Bundibugyo species.
Continuing, the BBC report says the vaccine employs a common cold virus that typically infects chimps but has been genetically engineered to be safe for humans.
Researchers use this modified cold virus to transport and deliver genetic information about the Bundibugyo Ebola virus to cells, instructing them to recognise and combat the disease. The BBC further reports that the vaccine does not cause infection or Ebola symptoms but rather prepares the immune system to provide protection.
The BBC understands that animal testing is already underway in Oxford.
According to the WHO, the vaccine could be ready for clinical trials within two to three months.
The Serum Institute of India is preparing to mass-produce the Ebola vaccine once Oxford can provide medical-grade material.
Prof Lambe, the Calleva Head of Vaccine Immunology at the Oxford Vaccine Group, told BBC News: “Once we give them the starting material, they can go fast and big.”
Lambe says speed is a priority: “People are worried about this outbreak, generally; you prepare for the worst-case scenario – hopefully, contact tracing and quarantine are all that’s needed, but we can’t take our foot off the gas.”
Lambe emphasises the value of speed: “People are concerned about this outbreak; generally, you prepare for the worst-case scenario – hopefully, contact tracing and quarantine will suffice, but we can’t let up.”
There are six species of Ebola virus, but only three cause large outbreaks in people.
- BBC News