Oxford vaccine trials commence for Nipah Virus

Scientists at the University of Oxford have initiated the first-in-human vaccine trials for the ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine to cure the deadly Nipah virus. This vaccine, aimed at addressing the alarming impact of Nipah in various Asian countries, particularly India, is a crucial response to a virus that can be fatal in approximately 75% of cases, according to researchers leading the study.

The Oxford Vaccine Group oversees the trials involving 51 participants aged between 18 and 55. The Nipah virus has wreaked havoc in Asian nations such as Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and India, with a recent outbreak in Kerala in September of the previous year. 

The virus is known to be carried by fruit bats and may also be transmitted through contact with infected animals, such as pigs, or through person-to-person transmission via close contact, as stated by the researchers.

Despite the World Health Organization recognising the Nipah virus as a priority disease demanding urgent research, there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for this devastating pathogen. 

Belonging to the same family of paramyxoviruses as measles, Nipah has persisted as a severe threat since its first identification in 1998 during outbreaks in Malaysia and Singapore.

Brian Angus, the Principal Investigator of the trial and a member of the University of Oxford's Nuffield Department of Medicine, highlighted the urgency of finding a solution: "Nipah virus was first identified in 1998, and yet 25 years on, the global health community still has no approved vaccines or treatments for this devastating disease." 

Angus emphasised the high mortality rate and the urgent need to address the virus as a priority pandemic pathogen.

The trials, funded by CEPI, are a crucial step forward in the battle against Nipah, a virus with epidemic potential. In-Kyu Yoon, the acting executive director of vaccine research & development at CEPI, pointed out the virus's threat, given its fruit bat hosts found in areas inhabited by over two billion people. Yoon expressed hope that the knowledge gained from these trials could inform the development of countermeasures against other Paramyxoviruses.

The ChAdOx1 platform, the same viral vector vaccine platform employed for the successful Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, underlines the promising nature of the Nipah vaccine. The project is expected to span the next 18 months, with subsequent trials planned in Nipah-affected countries.