In a major global public health, the University of Oxford has launched the world’s first Phase II clinical trial for a vaccine candidate targeting the deadly Nipah virus. This significant step marks the most advanced stage yet in the global effort to develop a preventive solution against a virus known for its extremely high fatality rate and recurring outbreaks.
The trial is being carried out in Bangladesh, in partnership with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b). Bangladesh is one of the few countries where Nipah virus infections occur regularly, making it an ideal location to assess real-world vaccine effectiveness and safety.
The initiative represents a coordinated international effort involving leading scientific institutions, local health authorities, and global health partners.
The experimental vaccine, named ChAdOx1 NipahB, has been developed using the same adenovirus-based platform that was successfully deployed for the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine itself was manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine producer, with crucial support and funding from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
During this Phase II trial, researchers plan to enroll around 306 healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55. The study aims to evaluate two critical aspects: the safety profile of the vaccine and the strength of the immune response it generates. These insights will determine whether the vaccine is ready for larger Phase III trials and future deployment.
The urgency behind developing a Nipah vaccine stems from the virus’s alarming mortality rate, which can reach up to 75%, depending on the outbreak. Nipah is classified as a high-threat pathogen by the WHO due to its ability to spread from animals to humans—primarily through fruit bats— as well as through contaminated food or direct human-to-human transmission.
Infected individuals can experience symptoms ranging from fever, nausea, and headache to severe respiratory distress, neurological complications, and acute brain inflammation.
Currently, there is no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Nipah virus, making prevention the only defense. This trial, therefore, holds exceptional importance. If the vaccine proves effective, it could protect millions living in Nipah-endemic regions like South Asia and pave the way for a global vaccination strategy.
Overall, the launch of this Phase II trial represents a hopeful stride toward combating one of the world’s deadliest viral threats and brings the global community one step closer to a potentially life-saving vaccine.