Scientists at the University of Oxford have developed a new vaccine that could be deployed within months to help tackle the growing Ebola emergency.
The outbreak, centered in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has reached around 750 suspected cases and 177 deaths.
The rare Ebola strain involved known as Bundibugyo kills roughly one-third of those infected, and there is currently no proven vaccine against it, BBC reports.
Researchers say they are working urgently in case the outbreak spreads further and the experimental vaccine becomes necessary.
On Sunday, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, while emphasizing that it is not considered a pandemic.
The vaccine uses the same technology developed by the Oxford team during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The platform, known as ChAdOx1, is considered highly adaptable and flexible, allowing scientists to quickly modify it to target different infectious diseases.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the technology carried the genetic code of the coronavirus. This time, it has been adapted with the genetic code of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
The vaccine uses a common cold virus that normally infects chimpanzees, which has been genetically modified to make it safe for humans.
Researchers use this modified virus to deliver important genetic material from the Bundibugyo Ebola strain into human cells, teaching the immune system how to recognize and fight the disease.
The vaccine itself cannot cause Ebola infection or symptoms, but instead trains the immune system to build protection.
BBC has learned that animal testing has already begun at the University of Oxford.
Scientists caution that there is still no guarantee the vaccine will prove effective. Further animal studies and clinical trials in humans will be needed to confirm its safety and effectiveness.
