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Second phase testing started for Zika vaccine

04 April 2017 | News | By BioSpectrum Bureau

Second phase testing started for Zika vaccine

US government scientists have been working on developing a vaccine for fighting Zika. The second phase testing of this vaccine has begun and $100 million has been funded for this trial.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported that around 5,182 people in the continental United States have been infected by Zika either locally or through travel to places where the virus is spreading. Another 38,303 cases have been reported in U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico.

Zika infection can spread through mosquito bites, from a pregnant woman to her fetus, through sex and blood transfusion. Zika infection during pregnancy can cause a birth defect of the brain called microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects. The current vaccine candidate for Zika has cleared preliminary safety hurdles and is now being tested for efficacy.

The first phase will involve evaluating the ability of the vaccine to stimulate the immune system for developing antibodies against Zika. The second phase will be more focused on determining if the vaccine can actually help in preventing Zika infection.

Several companies are developing Zika vaccines, including Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline and Takeda Pharmaceuticals. The US government is conducting discussions with pharmaceutical companies for sharing the costs of the final stage of testing and to handle manufacturing.

 

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