Zika Virus Vaccine Update: WHO To Introduce A Promising Vaccine in 2020
The serious birth defects of children from mothers infected with Zika virus raised urge of health experts to formulate a preventive vaccine. Scientists from the National Institutes of Health have discovered a highly potential element for the drug.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has presumed that Zika vaccine for women of childbearing age may be available by 2020. Scientists need extensive testing to ensure an ultimate validity and effectiveness of the said vaccine. According to Medical Daily, the creation processes are claimed to be expensive in both time and finances just to produce a promising one.
It has been revealed that the qualified vaccine candidates are adenovirus-based. Unfortunately, these forms of vaccines, likewise, known to be rapidly neutralized by the body's immune system that might yield a worthless vaccine.
Many experts initially thought that Zika virus infection is typical, which causes low grade illness. For that reason, scientists didn't prioritize creating a vaccine for it. However, a change of plan occurred when this mosquito born disease was perceived of causing microcephaly in youngsters from infected mothers.
An officially confirmed huge longer-term approach against the virus is set, director-general of WHO, Margaret Chan said. This project has been revealed a year following the announcement of Zika virus as a worldwide health emergency, Fierce Pharma reported. As a result, the warning was also been highlighted last November.
Furthermore, Inovio began the process of becoming the primary pharmaceutical firm to conduct testing of Zika vaccine in humans. Numerous government organizations and Big Pharmas also boarded on the operation of Zika vaccine creation.
Reports suggest that GLS-5700, which is Inovio's candidate, is now in phase 1, with a second round covering 160 participants from Puerto Rico. In fact, the National Institutes of Health already recruited 80 volunteers to test its candidate. This was scheduled last August but planned to move the phase 2 early of 2017.