Public Health Vaccines Initiates First Clinical Trial for Marburg Virus Vaccine

Public Health Vaccines, LLC, a biotechnology firm in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has launched the first Phase 1 clinical trial to assess the safety and immunogenicity of its Marburg virus vaccine, PHV01. This vaccine aims to combat the Marburg virus, a severe hemorrhagic fever with up to an 88% fatality rate, making it a significant public health concern listed by the World Health Organization. The trial, identified as NCT06265012, is a critical step towards developing a single-dose vaccine against this lethal virus.

The trial, designed as a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, ascending-dose study, will test the vaccine's efficacy in healthy U.S. adults. PHV01 uses a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) vector, a technology previously utilized in the successful rVSV-EBOV vaccine for Ebola. This venture has received funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with potential future support up to $72 million contingent on development progress.

Joan Fusco, PHV's Chief Operating Officer, emphasized the importance of the vaccine in combating the Marburg virus, especially after recent outbreaks in Africa. She highlighted PHV's commitment to global readiness against this emerging threat and expressed gratitude for BARDA's financial backing and the collective effort of PHV’s team and collaborators in reaching this vital milestone.