Phase I trial of GlaxoSmithKline’s Ebola vaccine shows it is well tolerated

Phase 1 of the clinical trials of the chimpanzee adenovirus type 3–vectored ebola virus vaccine (cAd3-EBO), developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) shows promising results

The 2014 outbreak of Ebola virus disease has sparked international efforts to develop a vaccine. One candidate being developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is a replication-defective recombinant chimpanzee adenovirus type 3–vectored ebolavirus vaccine (cAd3-EBO). It is bivalent, offering protection against the Zaire and Sudan strains, and has already demonstrated activity in a nonhuman primate model.

Now, preliminary results from a Phase I study published in The New England Journal of Medicine (online, 26 November 2014)[1]
involving 20 healthy adults indicate that the vaccine is both immunogenic and safe. Immune responses to a single dose of vaccine were dose-dependent and there were no major adverse events, although two participants given the higher dose developed transient fever.

Clinical trials of cAd3-EBO are ongoing. GSK says it could produce one million doses a month by the end of 2015. 

References

 

[1] Ledgerwood JE, DeZure AD, Stanley DA, et al. Chimpanzee Adenovirus Vector Ebola Vaccine – Preliminary Report. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2014. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1410863.

Last updated
Citation
The Pharmaceutical Journal, PJ, 20/27 December 2014, Vol 293, No 7841/2;293(7841/2):DOI:10.1211/PJ.2014.20067285

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