In March 2024 the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced that a new collaboration with The Pirbright Institute has been launched to support the development of vaccines against henipavirus, the genus that includes Nipah virus, with funding from the Medical Research Council. UKHSA scientists will use a model of Nipah virus disease to evaluate vaccines developed by the Pirbright Institute to determine protective effects.
Nipah virus
With a high case fatality rate and no licensed vaccines or treatment, Nipah virus is a “current and future threat” to global health. It is currently on WHO’s priority pathogen list and has caused recent outbreaks in Bangladesh and India. While there have not been recorded cases in the UK, the UKHSA recognises that effective vaccines could provide protection to people in countries where the virus is endemic, with the secondary effect of preventing imported cases.
Nipah virus is part of the henipavirus genus, and UKHSA states that there is a possibility for the emergence of a novel virus with outbreak potential. Thus, instead of focusing on a specific virus target for vaccination, the aim is to develop a vaccine that provides “cross protection against the whole genus” (pan-henipavirus vaccine).
Professor Isabel Oliver, Chief Scientific Officer at UKHSA, hopes that the study will “deepen our understanding of henipaviruses” and encourage “significant progress in our efforts to protect health from this current and future global health threat”.
“The work will also make a vital contribution to the 100 Days Mission – an important initiative to make sure the world is better prepared for the next pandemic by accelerating the development of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.”
Dr Dalan Bailey, Viral Glycoproteins group leader and project lead for Pirbright, emphasised that the project represents a “really important first step in the development of broadly acting vaccines”.
“This is especially important as we try to build more robust pandemic preparedness plans in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are delighted to be working with UKHSA on this project.”
Professor Oliver will join us at the Congress in April to discuss approaches to some of the most challenging and threatening pathogens so do get your tickets to hear more from her or subscribe to our newsletters here.
