Research on Kenyan Ebola vaccine confirms its safety

Research on Kenyan Ebola vaccine confirms its safety

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The 1^st phase results of the research on the Kenyan Ebola vaccine known as rVSV ZEBOV conducted by the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has shown that the vaccine is safe and generates an immune response.  The vaccine was administered to 138 volunteers across four research sites: KEMRI’s Centre for Geographic Medicine Research Coast in Kilifi (Kenya) and three other sites in Switzerland, Germany and Gabon.  

“Our studies on 138 volunteers have shown that the Ebola vaccine is safe and has the potential to offer protection against Ebola.  After this, the vaccine will be tested further in the countries affected by Ebola,” said Prof. Solomon Mpoke, Director, KEMRI.  “For us at KEMRI we see this as a momentous achievement towards the war against this most infectious Ebola disease”, he added.

The volunteers showed no adverse side effects.  However, some experienced fever and developed brief pain and/or swelling of their joints during the first few days after vaccination.  The vaccine was able to raise immune responses that reduced the effect of Ebola-like virus particles in the laboratory. 

The vaccine has now proceeded to the next level of study in Guinea, one of the countries affected by the Ebola outbreak to test if it protects those vulnerable to infection.  It has been made clear that giving the vaccine to a person cannot cause infection by the virus.

The vaccine trial was part of VEBCON, a World Health Organization (WHO) led consortium which is funded by the Wellcome Trust (a global charitable foundation dedicated to improving health).   The vaccine study’s positive outcome will be of great aid in case of need in Kenya, although there are no Ebola cases reported in the country.  However, the vaccine’s capability to prevent Ebola infection is yet to be proved.  

Source: http://www.kemri.org