Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 15:59:33
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.90 2.00%
  1. ICICI Bank share price
  2. 1,095.75 1.08%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,448.20 0.52%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 428.55 0.13%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.05 2.21%
Business News/ News / World/  No serious side effects in Merck/Newlink Ebola vaccine test
BackBack

No serious side effects in Merck/Newlink Ebola vaccine test

This is the first data from human testing of the experimental Ebola shot by Merck and Newlink

The Ebola epidemic is the largest ever recorded and has so far infected around 16,000 people, killing almost 6,000 of them, according to latest WHO figures. Photo: AFPPremium
The Ebola epidemic is the largest ever recorded and has so far infected around 16,000 people, killing almost 6,000 of them, according to latest WHO figures. Photo: AFP

London: The first people vaccinated with an experimental Ebola shot being developed by Merck and NewLink have had no serious side effects so far, but a few experienced mild fever, Swiss researchers said on Tuesday.

The shot, one of several being fast-tracked through clinical trials in the hope they can be approved for use in the Ebola epidemic raging in West Africa, is undergoing initial human safety tests at the University Hospitals of Geneva.

“After his or her injection, each volunteer was kept under observation for 1.5 hours at the clinical trials unit," scientists at the Swiss hospital said in a statement.

“To date, no major side effects have been observed after the injections, which triggered the expected inflammatory responses. They (the inflammatory responses) have been weak to moderate, with limited cases of mild fever," it added.

Since 10 November, 34 volunteers have been vaccinated with the shot, known as VSV-ZEBOV Ebola vaccine, at the request of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Trials have also begun in the US, Canada, Germany and Gabon, and similar trials should start soon in Kenya.

This is the first data from human testing of the Merck/Newlink shot. It follows positive news last week about a GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) candidate Ebola vaccine, which caused no serious side effects and produced an immune response in 20 volunteers in early-stage trials.

A version of GSK’s vaccine targeting only the Zaire strain of Ebola which is causing the current outbreak is undergoing safety trials in Britain, Mali and Switzerland.

A trial of an Ebola vaccine from Johnson & Johnson is scheduled to start in January.

The Ebola epidemic is the largest ever recorded and has so far infected around 16,000 people, killing almost 6,000 of them, according to latest WHO figures. The vast majority of cases and deaths have been in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Some Ebola experts say it is unlikely the epidemic can be brought under control without the use of a vaccine, which if successful could protect healthy people from being infected with the contagious and deadly virus.

Merck announced last month that it would buy the rights to NewLink’s vaccine for $50 million.

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More Less
Published: 02 Dec 2014, 07:27 PM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App