The Oxford Vaccine Group has commenced clinical trials for the ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine, targeting the Nipah virus, a potentially fatal disease with a mortality rate of around 75%. The trial involves 51 participants aged 18 to 55 and aims to address the urgent need for a vaccine against Nipah virus, which has caused outbreaks in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and India.
Nipah virus is transmitted by fruit bats and can also spread through contact with infected animals or person-to-person through close contact. Despite outbreaks occurring over the past 25 years, there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for Nipah virus. The World Health Organization recognizes it as a priority disease requiring urgent research.
The trial’s Principal Investigator, Brian Angus, emphasized the significance of this milestone in developing a solution to prevent local outbreaks and prepare for potential global pandemics. CEPI, funders of the trial, stressed Nipah’s epidemic potential, as its fruit bat hosts inhabit areas with over two billion people.
The ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine utilizes the same viral vector vaccine platform as the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The project is set to run over the next 18 months, with subsequent trials anticipated in a Nipah-affected country. This initiative marks a crucial step forward in addressing the threat posed by the Nipah virus and developing preventive measures to protect vulnerable populations.
