Kenyan Scientists Discover New Ebola Vaccines

A team of Kenyan scientists from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) has discovered two vaccines which it says can prevent one from contracting the deadly Ebola virus.

The Standard reports that tests are currently being carried out on the two vaccines to establish whether they have side effects on human beings when administered. This discovery comes in the wake of a fresh Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo.

The researchers conducted the study in Kericho and Kombewa in Kisumu counties and are testing safety of the vaccines for two Ebola virus, the study’s associate investigator Dr. Josephat Kosgei said.

“We want to investigate how the body’s immune system responds to the study vaccines,” Dr. Kosgei said.

The research was funded by Janssen Vaccines & Prevention BV- a company associated with Johnson & Johnson. 122 participants were injected with the two vaccinations and are being monitored to assess their effectiveness.

“We have done six months visits. We are waiting for the last visit at one year, which will be six months from now, then data analysis will be done,” said Kosgei.

Trials for the two vaccines, dubbed Ad. 26 ZEBOV and MVA-BN-Filo are also taking place in the US, Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria.

“All the countries are testing for the vaccines safety and its ability to generate an immune system response. So far, we have not heard any report on safety issues and the early trials results will be provided towards the end of the year,” Kosgei said.