UK Approves Human Trials for New Ebola Vaccine Amid Deadly Congo Outbreak

The UK health regulator has authorized human trials for a newly developed Ebola vaccine created by scientists at the University of Oxford. This vaccine, the first of four in development, will be tested on healthy adults in the UK within weeks, responding to a deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The outbreak has resulted in 625 deaths and 1,792 laboratory-confirmed cases.

Oxford researchers began developing the vaccine eight weeks ago after a public health emergency was declared on May 17. The vaccine uses the same technology as the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, involving a genetically modified chimpanzee adenovirus that safely triggers an immune response by producing one Ebola viral protein inside the body. It has been tested on mice and macaque monkeys and is produced to clinical standards by the Serum Institute of India, which has manufactured approximately 620,000 doses.

The upcoming trial will include 50 healthy adults aged 18 to 55, who will be monitored for one year. Preparations are also underway with partners in Uganda for trials in Africa. Vaccine researcher Alex Sampson noted that the team is conducting all usual safety tests but in parallel to accelerate development. While there is a small risk of rare blood clots similar to those seen with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, this risk is much lower than the threat posed by the "Bundibugyo" Ebola strain, which kills about one-third of those infected.

Dr. Katrina Pollock, the trial's lead investigator, emphasized that serious side effects are very rare and that volunteers will be fully informed of the risks. The current outbreak remains uncontrolled, occurring in a conflict zone with highly mobile populations, underscoring the urgent need for an effective vaccine to help halt the disease's spread. Three additional vaccines targeting the same strain, including one by Moderna, are also in development.