Ebola Virus - Where Are We Now?

Ebola Virus - Where Are We Now?
Categories: News

As news breaks of Phase II trials for an Ebola vaccine, we review where the fight against Ebola lies today.  What are the current treatments and vaccines? What is the most recent research telling us? How has Sierra Leone coped with the fallout of the 2014 epidemic? What products are available for research and development?

Ebola Vaccination Development

In a press release issued on 11th August, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (INO) announced that they are enrolling 125 subjects to further characterize and identify in humans the most optimal immunization regimen using intradermal (skin) delivery of its preventive Ebola DNA vaccine. This follows successful completion of phase I trial of INO-4212 which generated positive initial safety and immune response data in the first set of 75 healthy volunteers. The phase II study will assess “immune response characteristics generated with fewer intradermal administrations, lower doses, and with and without its DNA-based IL-12 immune activator.” In addition to the vaccine, Inovio are collaboration with MedImmune on a therapeutic monoclonal antibody against Ebola virus, as well as their own Ebola dMab therapy.

This announcement comes in the wake of Merck’s huge success in receiving Breakthrough Therapy Designation from FDA and PRIME Status from EMA for their investigational Ebola Zaire vaccine (V920). In late 2014, when the peak of the Ebola outbreak in western Africa was at its worst, Merck licensed V920 from NewLink Genetics Corporation following their licensing from Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory where it was originally developed by students. Merck’s goal was to accelerate the development, licensure, and availability of this candidate vaccine. Merck has since worked closely with NewLink Genetics and a number of external collaborators to enable a broad clinical development program with funding from the U.S. Government and research is ongoing.

Recent Research Study

A study published in mBio by Boston University Medical Center in collaboration with the University of Texas Medical Branch found that one of the Ebola virus proteins, VP30, accumulates in cells when the pathway is on, and it does not accumulate when pathway is turned off. Ebola virus requires host factors for replication due to its small RNA genome. The researchers showed that the host protein eIF5A in its activated form is necessary for virus replication and that the mechanism is through the accumulation of a single EBOV protein, VP30. To date, no other host proteins have been shown to interfere with the translation or stability of an EBOV protein. Activated eIF5A is the only protein in the cell known to contain the specific modification of hypusine; therefore, this pathway is a target for drug development. [http://mbio.asm.org/content/7/4/e00882-16]

Impact of Ebola – What does look like Sierra Leone Today?

Two years on from the most widespread epidemic of Ebola in history, which began in February 2014, Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone are finally beginning to return to ‘normal’ life – a life that for us in the Western world is far from normal. Schools have reopened, albeit with a smaller number of students. Ebola has left many orphaned children in its wake, especially girls, who are now too poor to go to school. NGOs like Street Child strive to make sure that all children can access school and that no Ebola orphan is left behind, but it is not easy and much work needs to be done. As a result, the vicious cycle of lack of education and spread of disease will continue; illiteracy and lack of knowledge having played a huge part in the spread of Ebola in the first place. Many orphaned children are forced into work and fall victims of physical and sexual abuse at a young age. More positive advances in the communities include the lift on bans of public gatherings allowing for kids to play football together, recommencement of building work and trading, freedom of movement where people can now visit the country and tourism is being to increase again. There is a long road ahead to recovery.

Ebola Virus Research & Development Targets

Ebola virus remains a highly studied infectious disease for the development of Ebola diagnostic tools, for vaccines to prevent Ebola virus infection and for drug therapies to treat and cure Ebola virus. The main targets include antibodies against Ebola VP30, Ebola VP40, Ebola Nucleoprotein and Ebola Glycoprotein as well as purified recombinant Ebola proteins.

Our Ebola Research Products
Ebola Virus Antibodies
Catalog No. Product Name Host Isotype Clone
10-2253 Ebola Virus antibody Mouse IgG2a FE25
10-2254 Ebola Virus antibody Mouse IgG2a FE18
10-2255 Ebola Virus antibody Mouse IgG2a FE37
10-2351 Ebola Virus VP40 antibody Mouse IgG1 M82956
10-2352 Ebola Virus VP40 antibody Mouse IgG2a M82957
Ebola Virus Recombinant Proteins
Catalog No. Product Name Residues Tag Conjugate Purity
30-1837 Ebola Virus VP40 protein 1-326 aa/Accession No. AHX24648 His-GST tag > 90% pure
80-1411 Ebola Virus NP protein 1-739 aa/Accession No. AHX24646.1 His tag > 90% pure

 

 

Leave a Comment