Ebola vaccine: Oxford starts UK trial against Bundibugyo strain

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Oxford University scientists have initiated UK trials for a vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, responding rapidly to an ongoing outbreak in central Africa. The ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine is developed using similar technology as the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine and has begun phase 1 clinical testing for safety and immune response.

UK volunteers are being recruited to test a potential vaccine to combat the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.Scientists have worked rapidly to get a potential jab ready for trials in response to the ongoing outbreak in central Africa.1Developed in just eight weeks by scientists at Oxford University, the ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine has been produced with similar technology used to develop the Oxford-AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine. It is the first of four candidate vaccines against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola to enter clinical trials.The UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has given conditional regulatory approval for the phase 1 trial, which will assess the safety and immune response to the vaccine in 50 healthy adults aged 18-55.Vaccinations are expected to begin in the coming weeks after full regulatory approval, but production has already begun. The Serum Institute of India has already manufactured and stockpiled around 620 000 doses of the ChAdOx1...