Phase 1 trial of Zika virus vaccine published

​​This summer I went to Tanzania for my honeymoon. As part of my wedding prep, my husband-to-be and I went to a local travel clinical to make sure we were up to date on our vaccines and to get prescriptions for antimalarial medication. Unfortunately, one risk in Tanzania which there is no prophylaxis for is Zika virus, which is why I was happy to see the first Phase 1 trial of a Zika virus vaccine in humans was published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week (Zika-001).

The paper reports an interim analysis of 40 healthy adult subjects, who all showed ZIKV-specific antibodies 14 weeks after receiving GLS-5700. The most common adverse events were injection site reactions in ~50% of participants. The Phase 1/2 Zika-002 trial of GLS-5700 is currently underway in a larger cohort. The Phase 1/2 trial will be using the higher 2 mg dose from the Phase 1 trial.

Tanzania is such a beautiful country and I’m hoping a vaccine will be available to protect those who live and visit there from Zika virus in the near future!