Oxford University scientists testing Marburg virus vaccine

They have launched a new clinical trial to test the vaccine for Marburg virus - an extremely severe disease in the same family as Ebola.

It is the first-in-human trial of the ChAdOx1 Marburg vaccine, which has been developed and manufactured by researchers at the University of Oxford.

The Marburg virus vaccine (Image: Oxford Vaccine Group and the Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford)

The vaccine uses the same ChAdOx1 platform that was used for the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

Forty-six people aged 18 to 55 will participate in the trial in Oxford, which will be led by the Oxford Vaccine Group.

Marburg virus was first identified in 1967 and, since then, there have been multiple outbreaks of the highly-fatal disease across Sub-Saharan Africa, most recently sighted in Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea in 2023.

There are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for the virus, which is spread to humans from Rousettus bat colonies and via bushmeat from infected non-human primates.

A patient receiving the Marburg virus vaccine (Image: Oxford Vaccine Group and the Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford)

The study's lead scientific investigator, professor Teresa Lambe, who is also a professor of vaccinology at Oxford Vaccine Group and the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford, said: "Although outbreaks of Marburg virus have historically been small, this devastating disease has started to spread even further and the potential to cause a pandemic and inflict suffering on many is a real concern.

"With no approved treatments for Marburg, developing a vaccine is critical.

"This Oxford trial is a first step towards developing a safe and effective vaccine to protect people from future outbreaks."

A patient receiving the Marburg virus vaccine (Image: Oxford Vaccine Group and the Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford)

Marburg virus can be transmitted between humans via close contact and bodily fluids, often meaning health workers are those most likely to get infected.

The disease can lead to haemorrhagic fever, which is impaired blood clotting leading to widespread bleeding, and encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain.

It has an estimated case fatality rate of up to 88 per cent based on previous outbreaks.

The World Health Organization designates Marburg virus disease as a priority for research and development.

A patient receiving the Marburg virus vaccine (Image: Oxford Vaccine Group and the Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford)

In the UK, it is listed as a high consequence infectious disease by the Health Security Agency.

The research was funded by the Department of Health and Social Care as part of the UK Vaccine Network, an aid programme to develop vaccines for diseases with epidemic potential in low and middle-income countries.

The Oxford Vaccine Group designs and conducts studies of new and improved vaccines for children and adults around the world and is based in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Oxford.