Nipah virus vaccine developed by researchers at the University of Oxford has received a major boost with the backing of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) under its PRIME scheme— a move set to speed up its journey to patients.
The vaccine, which is currently undergoing phase 1 clinical trials, is the first from a United Kingdom (UK) academic institution to be admitted into the EMA’s Priority Medicines initiative.
This scheme offers early and enhanced scientific and regulatory support to treatments deemed crucial for addressing serious public health threats.
Nipah virus, regarded by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a disease with pandemic potential, has a mortality rate of up to 85%.
Initial symptoms include fever, headaches, and sore throat, but the condition can quickly progress to severe neurological complications, including brain inflammation.
Transmissible from animals such as fruit bats and pigs, through contaminated food, or via close contact between people, Nipah has caused repeated outbreaks in South and Southeast Asia.
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First detected in Malaysia in 1999, the virus has since led to annual flare-ups in Bangladesh and parts of eastern India. Its presence has also been recorded in bat populations across several countries, including Thailand, Madagascar, and Ghana.
According to the EMA, the decision to support Oxford’s vaccine effort was based on encouraging results from early laboratory and clinical studies.
Nipah virus Vaccine
According to the Independent report, it underscored a statement to the research team, the agency highlighted the increasing likelihood of human exposure to infected animals, noting that this raises the risk of widespread transmission in densely populated areas.
Prof. Brian Angus, who leads the vaccine project at Oxford’s Vaccine Group, welcomed the EMA’s endorsement. “This targeted regulatory support for our vaccine programme is a huge boost to the search for a solution to Nipah virus outbreaks,” he said.
However, he further shared optimism that their vaccine could help protect high-risk communities and potentially prevent the next global health crisis.
With international concern mounting over emerging infectious diseases, Oxford’s advancement in Nipah vaccine research marks a crucial step toward preparedness and rapid response, especially in a world still grappling with the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic.
