WHO experts chart next steps for Ebola vaccine trials

CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND POLICY RESEARCH     by Lisa Schnirring                                 Jan. 9, 2015

The next steps in testing Ebola vaccines as well as a picture of how they might be used in West Africa's outbreak region became clearer today as officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) shared the outcome of yesterday's (Thursday's) high-level meeting in Geneva.

Large phase 3 trials in West Africa's outbreak setting will be next up to see if the vaccines work, with the studies designed to collect more safety data, a task usually covered in phase 2 trials, experts involved in the meeting said today at a WHO media telebriefing. However, as Ebola infections drop off in the outbreak region, scientists face a closing window of opportunity to see how the vaccines perform in a real-life setting.

Experts also signaled a possible role for two Ebola vaccine formulations: a single-dose vaccine providing shorter-term immunity that could be used to tamp down Ebola flare-ups and a prime-boost vaccine that may provide more durable immunity and could be used for other immunization strategies.

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http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2015/01/who-experts-chart-next-steps-ebola-vaccine-trials

Also see "Ebola Vaccine trials can offer '"signs of hope,' posted Thursday Jan.8, 2015

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=49756#.VK85uXu1f8w