First vaccine for devastating disease with 75% mortality rate trialled

ADVERTISEMENT

Scientists have launched the first-in-human trial to test a vaccine to protect people against the Nipah virus.

This zoonotic pathogen, which can be transmitted from animals to humans, has been responsible for outbreaks in South and Southeast Asia.

Fruit bats, particularly those of the Pteropus genus, are considered natural hosts of the virus.

Humans can become infected through direct contact with other infected animals, such as pigs, by consuming contaminated food products, or through close contact with an infected person.

A mortality rate of up to 75 per cent

The virus’ symptoms include fever, headache, dizziness, and respiratory distress. In severe cases, the infection can progress to encephalitis, characterised by inflammation of the brain, leading to altered consciousness and even coma.

The virus has a high mortality rate, estimated at 40 per cent to 75 per cent, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). A vaccine could bring this rate down.

“Nipah virus was first identified in 1998, and yet 25 years on the global health community still has no approved vaccines or treatments for this devastating disease,” Brian Angus, the trial’s principal investigator and professor of infectious diseases at the University of Oxford, said in a statement.

Developed by the University of Oxford’s Pandemic Sciences Institute, the ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine is the first vaccine to be administered to humans with 51 volunteers who underwent a rigorous screening process to take part in the experiment.

“Due to the high mortality rate and the nature of Nipah virus transmission, the disease is identified as a priority pandemic pathogen. This vaccine trial is an important milestone in identifying a solution that could prevent local outbreaks occurring, while also helping the world prepare for a future global pandemic,” Angus added.

More research needed

This trial will focus on evaluating the safety of the vaccine and analysing immune responses in a youthful and healthy demographic.

The project will run over the next 18 months, with further trials expected to follow in a Nipah virus-affected country.

“The University of Oxford’s work on the Nipah virus vaccine started in 2017 but was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our work developing the COVID-19 vaccine will now help us prepare this Nipah vaccine for licensure, ensuring we’re ready to prevent future outbreaks of this devastating disease from spreading,” said Sarah Gilbert, principal investigator at the Pandemic Sciences Institute.

The primary objective of Phase I trials is to assess safety, not efficacy. Researchers focus on monitoring adverse effects and determining a safe dosage range.

Subsequent phases of clinical trials are designed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a vaccine’s effectiveness.