Swiss Test GlaxoSmithKline Ebola Vaccine In Healthy Volunteers Going To Africa

Mylan Inc., Theravance, Inc. Partner Up for $265 Million COPD Pact


October 29, 2014

By Krystle Vermes, BioSpace.com Breaking News Staff

Switzerland’s drug regulator has approved testing of an experimental Ebola vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline , after details revealed that the vaccine has been permitted for testing on healthy volunteers, some of whom will be headed to West Africa to address the epidemic, Reuters reported.

Approximately 120 volunteer participants at the Lausanne University Hospital will be a part of the vaccine trial. Many of the participants are medical students, and they will be monitored for six months to determine the safety and efficacy of GlaxoSmithKline’s vaccine.

Hospital spokeswoman Darcy Christen told the news source that volunteers going into the field will not receive the placebo. A total of 70 people are not being deployed, and 20 of them will receive the placebo, while 50 will be given the vaccine.

GlaxoSmithKline’s Ebola vaccine is already undergoing safety tests in Britain, Mali and the U.S. Results from early trials will provide the basis for later studies on a larger basis.

The Need for a Cure
GlaxoSmithKline and the World Health Organization announced on Oct. 18 that they would be working closely together to accelerate the development of an investigational Ebola vaccine. The goal was to ramp up production as quickly as possible as the epidemic continues in West Africa.

The first Phase 1 safety trials of the vaccine are underway in the U.S. U.K., and Mali with further trials to begin in upcoming weeks. By the end of the year, GlaxoSmithKline expects to have Phase 1 trial results. Continued trails will begin in early 2015.

“We are actively exploring with relevant organizations and partners all opportunities to accelerate the development of manufacturing at an industrial scale so that if the trials are successful, we will be in a position to significantly ramp up production of the vaccine candidate to help combat this or future Ebola outbreaks,” stated GlaxoSmithKline.

GlaxoSmithKline is working with regulators and other stakeholders to determine how and when near term supplies of an Ebola vaccine could be made available. Additionally, its future use in mass vaccine campaigns will depend on whether the vaccine proves effective without resulting in adverse side effects.

GlaxoSmithKline acquired the Ebola vaccine candidate from Okairos in May 2013. It has been working with the National Institutes of Health to further the development of the vaccine candidate.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC