TRIALS have begun in Oxford for a vaccine given as a drink, and which could benefit the lives of millions of people.
Human trials for the paratyphoid vaccine are taking place for up to 76 people at Churchill Hospital.
Participants, aged 18 to 55 and in good health, will be randomised to either receive two doses of the vaccine or a placebo, given 14 days apart.
They will then be ‘challenged’ with the paratyphoid bacteria to see if they are protected against infection.
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Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, who was knighted last year for services to public health, especially in the pandemic when he was involved in the development of the Oxford vaccine, is chief investigator of the trial.
He told the Oxford Mail: “It’s a bacterial infection which people get from contaminated food or water, particularly common across South and South East Asia.
“From the UK perspective, it particularly effects travellers coming back from the area.
“There’s more than three million cases every year, a proportion of which are severe infections.
“The bacteria has become resistant to antibiotics due to the level of use of antibiotics in the population.
“It’s important to say if we could get clean water to the world, then we wouldn’t have this problem.”
Prof Pollard said that the vaccine being administered without a needle makes it more attractive, especially for those with a fear of needles.
“The vaccine is a vaccine by mouth, so something you drink but in the long-term, it will be a capsule,” he said.
“The first doses are being given out here in Oxford, at the vaccine centre at Churchill Hospital.
“The fact there’s no needle is what makes this very attractive, if we can show that it works.”
One of the participants in the trial is Ali Malik, who works in scientific studies at Oxford Systematic Reviews.
Mr Malik, from Oxford, said: “There’s a number of reasons to take part in this – firstly, I’ve not been part of a challenge study before.
“You’re given the challenge, which is the virus, in June and I had that period free, and it seemed like a worthwhile study.
“Every drug has to go through human trials – I’m healthy and young so there’s no reason not to.
“It’s absolutely worth doing, the infection paratyphoid isn’t conductive to this country, but globally it’s massive, with many serious cases.
“If you’re particularly scared of needles, in the long-term this is a novel way of administering a vaccine.
“Having something you drink opens up a lot of possibilities.”
Following challenge, participants will be monitored closely and treated with antibiotics as soon as they show signs of infection, or after two weeks if they do not show any signs of infection. Results are expected in 2023.
For more on taking part in the trial, please visit: trials.ovg.ox.ac.uk/trials/vasp
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