Merck Sharp and Dohme’s new Ebola vaccine to be reviewed for WHO use

Merck Sharp and Dohme has announced that its new Ebola vaccine has been accepted for emergency use review by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The company's application for Emergency Use Assessment and Listing (EUAL) for the investigational Ebola Zaire vaccine V920 will be reviewed by the WHO to expedite the availability of the vaccine in case of future public health emergencies.

This procedure will assist UN procurement agencies and member states in determining the acceptability of using a vaccine candidate in an emergency-use setting. The decision will be based on data regarding quality, safety and efficacy, as well its risk/benefit profile.

EUAL designation is not the same as WHO prequalification, but may result in the vaccine being made available for a limited time in case of an emergency while further clinical trial data is gathered for a formal regulatory agency review.

Dr Paula Annunziato, vice-president for clinical research at Merck Research Laboratories, said: "This application to the WHO is an important step toward enabling V920 to be used if a public health emergency of international concern were to be declared for the Ebola Zaire species prior to licensure of the vaccine candidate."

The vaccine was licensed from NewLink Genetics in late 2014 in response to the devastating Ebola outbreak in west Africa.