\n<\/p>\n
Prof Teresa Lambe, who led the Ebola vaccine team at the University of Oxford, said they had been able to create it so quickly because of the background of decades of research.<\/p>\n
\u200b\u200bShe explained how they would confirm that the vaccine was effective at protecting people. It cannot give anyone Ebola. <\/p>\n
\u200b\u200b”We will not be giving anybody Ebola in this trial or any trial. <\/p>\n
“The aim of the phase one clinical study is to look for the safety of the vaccine, and also to see if we’re getting a strong immune response that could be protective against the Bundibugyo species of Ebola.”<\/p>\n
\u200b\u200bThere are four vaccines in development against the Bundibugyo species which has triggered the outbreak, but this is the first to enter human trials.<\/p>\n
\u200b\u200bThere is a licensed vaccine against the Zaire species of Ebola, but it does not work against Bundibugyo.<\/p>\n
\u200b\u200bThe Oxford team say a second small Ebola vaccine trial is due to begin soon in Uganda, followed by a bigger study, looking at efficacy, in DR Congo.<\/p>\n
\u200b\u200bThe Serum Institute in India has already manufactured 600,000 doses of the Oxford Ebola vaccine, ready to be used if the trials are successful.<\/p>\n
\u200b\u200bTo date there have been more than 2,500 confirmed cases of Ebola in DR Congo, including just over 1,000 deaths.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n