Phase 1 Trial Supports Safety of New Ebola Vaccine (Watanabe Lab, NEJM)

Researchers at The University of Osaka and The University of Tokyo conducted a Phase 1 clinical trial of iEvac-Z, a novel inactivated Ebola vaccine based on an Ebola virus lacking the VP30 gene, which is essential for viral replication. No vaccine-related serious adverse events were observed, and all participants developed antibody responses against the Ebola virus glycoprotein (GP). As the world's first human clinical trial of a vaccine based on a replication-deficientEbola virus, the study demonstrates the potential of iEvac-Z as a next-generation Ebola vaccine with an improved safety profile.