Dive Brief:
- The Department of Health and Human Services is providing funding for Baltimore-based Profectus Biosciences to continue development of its Ebola vaccine.
- As of now, there are three Ebola vaccines in development, including the Profectus vaccine and two others, which are both in phase I development.
- Many government agencies, including HHS, are involved in this effort. The goal, according to a DHHS spokesperson, is to advance multiple treatment options—including vaccines—simultaneously to maximize the chance of finding an effective treatment.
Dive Insight:
Profectus has received a great deal of support from various government agencies during the ongoing Ebola pandemic. In addition to the $5.8 million that HHS gave to the company to fund continued development of its Ebola vaccine, Profectus also received support from the National Institutes of Health and the Defense Department during phase I trials.
Early success at the preclinical level has created a sense of optimism and raised hope for an impending cure for Ebola. But it goes without saying: although the preclinical results are positive, the real test lies in seeing how the vaccine affects humans.