By Thomas M. Burton
National Institutes of Health researchers reported that a
possible vaccine for the Ebola virus appears to be safe in early
testing and that a clinical study in West Africa can go ahead as
planned late this year or in early 2015.
The scientists reported the results of Phase I testing in the
New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday. Their report about
the very early safety testing was immediately followed by a
congratulatory statement from the White House. It is unusual for
the White House to discuss such early medical results, and the
statement underscored the dire nature of the Ebola epidemic in West
Africa and the fear it has engendered in this country.
The vaccine was developed by scientists at the NIH's Vaccine
Research Center, primarily in the laboratory of Nancy Sullivan, the
subject of a page-one article in The Wall Street Journal about her
scientific work. The positive findings about safety mirror public
statements by Anthony Fauci, director of the NIH's National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the official
overseeing work of the vaccine center.
The White House statement lauded the NIH and called the early
report "evidence of this Administration's determination to mount an
aggressive, whole-of-government response to the Ebola crisis." It
called the findings "another important milestone" toward a useful
vaccine.
Still, there are many hurdles to clear before a vaccine becomes
a reality. This vaccine, part of a joint effort by the NIH and
GlaxoSmithKline PLC, is believed to be the vaccine candidate that
is farthest along, but others are being developed as well.
The vaccine was given in different doses to two groups among the
20 volunteers. The volunteers given a higher dosage developed far
more immune response than did the other group, a step that may help
researchers home in on the proper dose in the larger trials in West
Africa.
However, those findings would be considered very preliminary and
not evidence that the vaccine is working.
The plan is for the possible NIH/Glaxo vaccine to be tested in
health-care workers in Liberia, where thousands of Ebola patients
have died. Some medical staffers have come down with the virus,
despite using protective suits to prevent infection.
The article said that the initial safety data in 20 healthy
people support the safety and immune-system effects of a single
dose of the vaccine being tested. Researchers said "there were no
serious adverse effects."
A fever did occur in some patients eight to 24 hours after they
were vaccinated, but the fevers "resolved within one day," the
scientists wrote.
Write to Thomas M. Burton at tom.burton@wsj.com
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