India-based Serum Institute to produce Ebola vaccine for use in Uganda outbreak

Indian biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals company, Serum Institute plans to manufacture 20,000 to 30,000 doses of an experimental Ebola vaccine by the end of November for use in trials against an outbreak in Uganda,

This was confirmed by developers and a company’s source.

Uganda is battling with an outbreak of Ebola and that has been made difficult due to the absence of a proven vaccine against the Sudan strain of the virus.

Vaccines against the more common Zaire strain of Ebola have proven highly effective during recent outbreaks in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Developers of the vaccine said they were working with the Serum Institute to manufacture doses that could be deployed in Uganda as part of a clinical trial once the authorities there gave regulatory approval.

There are at least six vaccines in development for the Ebola Sudan strain, including three with Phase 1 data, according to the World Health Organization, WHO.

The UN health agency’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last week that clinical trials of two vaccines could begin in the coming weeks pending Ugandan government approvals, without naming the vaccines.

The East African country has recorded 54 confirmed Ebola cases and 19 deaths since last month – though health authorities believe the actual numbers could be higher. The first case in the capital Kampala was reported last week.

Recently, President Yoweri Museveni ordered police to arrest anyone suspected of having the virus who refused to isolate. He has also forbidden traditional healers from trying to handle cases in order to prevent the spread of the virus.