SABIN SECURES ADDITIONAL US$21.8 MILLION FROM BARDA TO ADVANCE MARBURG VACCINE

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 (Bernama) -- The Sabin Vaccine Institute announced it is receiving an additional US$21.8 million under an existing contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). (US$1 = RM4.527)

BARDA is part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

According to a statement, these funds advance development of a vaccine against Marburg virus disease, a virus that is related to Ebola Zaire which killed 2,200 people during the last major outbreak that ended in 2020.

“Beginning Phase 2 clinical trials for the Marburg vaccine is a pivotal milestone for us and we appreciate BARDA’s continued confidence in our work and support for this critical next step,” said Sabin Chief Executive Officer, Amy Finan.

“Vaccines remain our best bet against death and disability from deadly viruses. I am hopeful that in the years ahead, we can offer this life-saving vaccine to every person who needs it.”

The Sabin Marburg vaccine is the only candidate currently slated for a Phase 2 clinical trial. Marburg is among the world’s deadliest viruses, resulting in the death of approximately half the people the virus infects.

Currently, there are no approved vaccines or treatments for the disease. As recently as July this year, two people in Ghana died after being infected with Marburg virus, reinforcing the urgent need for medical therapies.

The latest tranche of funds enables Sabin to conduct a randomised, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial among adults in the U.S. to further evaluate the safety and the efficacy of the Marburg vaccine candidate and advance non-clinical vaccine dosing studies.

The Phase 2 clinical trial in the U.S. will begin after Sabin has initiated a same-stage trial in Africa, currently scheduled for 2023. Sabin will also undertake a non-clinical study on the vaccine candidate during this phase.

More details at www.sabin.org.

-- BERNAMA