Developing a vaccine against Bundibugyo ebolavirus

This trial is open to healthy men and women aged between 18 and 55. To be considered healthy, you should not have any serious long-term medical conditions that require frequent hospital care. You also need regular internet access to fill in an electronic health diary from home and be able to travel to the Churchill Hospital in Oxford for visits.

You cannot take part if you have recently been in another clinical trial, have ever had an Ebola infection, or cannot give blood samples. Because the effects on an unborn baby are still unknown, pregnant or breastfeeding women cannot join. Women who could become pregnant will need to use effective contraception throughout the study and take pregnancy tests before vaccinations.

Researchers will also check your routine medical history with your GP surgery and will register you on an official UK database (TOPS) that prevents volunteers from joining multiple clinical trials at the same time.

If you take part, your participation will last for about 12 months. The study includes 50 volunteers. The first 10 people enrolled will receive a dose of the real vaccine, followed by a booster dose six months later. The remaining 40 people will receive either one dose of the real vaccine or a saltwater dummy injection (placebo). Neither you nor the study doctors will know which one you received until the study ends.

You will need to attend several planned appointments at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford. At these visits, doctors will examine you, check your vital signs, and collect blood samples to see how your immune system responds. You will also be asked to record any symptoms or side effects in an online diary for the first few weeks after your injection.