New Oxford-developed Ebola vaccine enters first human clinical trial

Human trials of a new Ebola vaccine developed to protect against the Bundibugyo strain of the virus are set to begin in the UK, following rapid development by researchers at the University of Oxford. The vaccine has been designed in response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where this particular strain is circulating.

The early-stage Phase I clinical trial will assess the vaccine’s safety and its ability to generate an immune response in 50 healthy adults aged 18 to 55 years. Volunteers are currently being recruited, with vaccinations expected to begin in the coming weeks, subject to final regulatory approvals.

The vaccine, known as ChAdOx1 BDBV, uses the same chimpanzee adenovirus vector platform that underpinned the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Researchers believe this established technology could help accelerate vaccine development if larger studies demonstrate that it is both safe and effective.

Although licensed vaccines already exist for the Zaire species of Ebola virus, there are currently no approved vaccines specifically targeting the Bundibugyo strain. The World Health Organization has identified the development of vaccines and treatments for this strain as an urgent public health priority during the current outbreak.

The clinical trial is part of a wider international effort to improve preparedness for emerging infectious diseases. Scientists hope the study will provide important information about the vaccine’s safety and immune response, forming the foundation for larger clinical trials if the initial results are positive.

Ebola virus disease is a severe illness that spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials. Symptoms can include fever, severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in some cases, internal and external bleeding. Early diagnosis, supportive care and effective infection prevention measures remain essential in reducing transmission and improving outcomes.

Researchers say the speed at which this vaccine has progressed from development to human testing demonstrates how lessons learned during previous outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic are helping to accelerate responses to emerging infectious disease threats, while maintaining the rigorous safety standards required for clinical research.

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