Ebola-vaccine of Okairos gets «Fast Track Status» of FDA

Viral diseases like Ebola aren't regarded as commercially interesting; therefore research usually gets stuck in the preclinical phase. But there may be a vaccine available in about one year from now. The Basel-based biotech company Okairos (GSK acquired the company in 2013) has an Ebola vaccine in the preclinical phase. It is not ready for use yet, but according to an article in the Swiss «HandelsZeitung» of 7th August 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given an Ebola vaccine of Okairos priority and set it on the «Fast Track Status» list. Okairos is working with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop the new vaccine. According to the press release, a phase I clinical study should start in early September 2014, as animal testing showed promising results so far. If the testing shows good results, the NIH schedules market entry of the vaccine by the second half of 2015.