India-Based Ella Foundation Successfully Completes Preliminary Studies on Ebola Vaccine

Animal experiments have been successful and the foundation claims that the vaccine is just a few steps away from entering clinical trials for human testing.

The foundation successfully completed the preliminary animal experiments to develop a vaccine for the Ebola virus, which has claimed hundreds of lives in West Africa.

The //Hyderabad-based foundation said it had completed the animal experiments of the virus’ glycoprotein with the targeted adenovirus.

Ebola Virus Disease | Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever: Cause Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment
Ebola is caused by a virus via direct contact with body fluids or infected blood. Scientists have identified five types of Ebola or Ebola hemorrhagic fever virus.

Claiming that the results of the experiments were good, Ella Foundation founder director Krishna Ella said these would be followed by pre-clinical toxicology and then clinical trials in humans.

He said Ebola vaccine programme initiated in November last year was an expression of solidarity and the pledge by the Indian prime minister to help the West African nations with their fight against Ebola virus.

According to the World Health Organisation, the current outbreak of Ebola has claimed more than 10,000 lives.

Preliminary Tests Not Confirmed but First Suspected Case of Ebola Reported in Slovenia
The patient, running severe fever after he recently returned from an Ebola-affected region of Africa, was admitted to the Ljubljana University Medical Centre.

The foundation earlier helped Bharat Biotech to develop of H1N1 pandemic influenza in the early stage.

Ella Foundation, a not-for-profit research organization, is among the two foundations from the Asian region which won the Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) grant, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to foster innovation in global health research.

Liberia Reports First Ebola Infection After a Month
After suffering over 4,000 deaths due to the deadly virus, Liberia was supposed to be declared Ebola-free by mid-April. A new case is a major setback.

Source-Medindia

Second Healthcare Worker In New Zealand Tested For Ebola, Kept In Isolation Unit
A nurse who was a part of a seven-member team that was the government's contribution to an Australia-run center in Sierra Leone is being tested for Ebola.