GlaxoSmithKline making ‘unprecedented’ progress on Ebola vaccine

GlaxoSmithKline has provided an update on the development of its new Ebola vaccine candidate, which is being fast-tracked to address the current outbreak in west Africa.

The company is working closely with the World Health Organization, regulators and other partners to accelerate development of the vaccine and to ramp up production as quickly as possible. Phase I safety trials are already underway in the USA, UK and Mali.

Initial data from these studies are expected by the end of the year. If successful, further phases will begin early in 2015 and will involve the vaccination of thousands of frontline healthcare workers in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, the three affected countries.

GlaxoSmithKline describes the pace of the product development as 'unprecedented', with further alliances with relevant organisations and partners being discussed in order to help further bring the epidemic under control.

The company said: "If the trials are successful, we will be in a position to significantly ramp up production of the vaccine candidate to help combat this or future Ebola outbreaks."

Janssen is also developing its own Ebola vaccine candidate to tackle the current disease outbreak, which is the worst in recorded history.