Zika vaccine shows promising results in preclinical studies

A Zika virus vaccine candidate is effective at preventing the Zika virus passing from mother to fetus in preclinical animal studies, according to a new study in the journal npj Vaccines. The research is a collaboration between Trudeau Institute, Texas Biomedical Research Institute’s Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC), and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), where the vaccine was developed. “The vaccine has been shown to be safe for non-pregnant humans, but of course we need to know if it is safe and effective for the people at greatest risk: pregnant women and their fetuses,” says In-Jeong Kim, PhD, a viral immunologist at Trudeau Institute and the first paper author. “Our proof-of-concept studies conducted at Trudeau and Texas Biomed show very promising results that the vaccine given before pregnancy will provide high levels of protection for mothers and babies.” The 2015-2016 Zika outbreak in Brazil and other countries in the Americas...