埃博拉病毒（Ebola）在撒哈拉以南非洲爆发，该病死亡率可达90%。目前，尚未有用于人体的疫苗或有效抗病毒治疗药物，而关于埃博拉病毒疫苗的测试及生产工作仍在紧张进行中。近日，疫苗领域的佼佼者，美国制药巨头默沙东（Merck & Co）继葛兰素史克（GSK）和强生（JNJ）之后，也加入了埃博拉疫苗研发阵营。
近日，默沙东与Newlink Genetics公司联合宣布，双方已达成一项全球独家授权协议，研究、开发、生产及分销后者开发的实验性rVSV-EBOV（埃博拉）候选疫苗。
该候选疫苗rVSV-EBOV，最初由加拿大公共卫生署（PHAC）开发，目前正处于I期临床评估。美国国立卫生研究院（NIH）已宣布计划，在2015年初启动一项大型随机对照III期研究，评估rVSV-EBOV疫苗及美国国家过敏和传染病研究所（NIAID）与葛兰素史克（GSK）联合开发的另一种埃博拉疫苗的安全性和有效性。
根据协议条款，默沙东将rVSV-EBOV疫苗及任何后续产品的独家权利，PHAC则保留候选疫苗相关的非商业化权利。默沙东疫苗部门总裁Julie Gerberding表示，有效的埃博拉疫苗将成为埃博拉综合性防治措施的重要组成部分，在预防高危人群感染埃博拉病毒及未来全球范围内遏制埃博拉疫情爆发将发挥重要作用。默沙东将运用自身专业的疫苗知识，联手Newlink推进埃博拉疫苗的研发。
rVSV-EBOV疫苗采用了有缺陷的、能够感染家畜的水泡性口炎病毒，并将病毒的中一种基因用埃博拉病毒的基因替换。在2010年，加拿大公共卫生署（PHAC）与Newlink Genetics旗下全资子公司BioProtection Systems（BPS）签署了授权协议，双方联合生产临床试验材料并将疫苗推进至I期临床。
英文原文：Merck and Newlink Genetics Enter Into Licensing and Collaboration Agreement for Investigational Ebola Vaccine
Neither of the two parties has confirmed the deal as yet; however, Newlink has hinted toward a possible agreement between the two companies.
Newlink CEO stated: “I don’t like commenting about agreements until they’re finalized but I have a pretty good feeling about it.” He further said that a confirmation of the rumors about the agreement could arrive in the “not-too-distant future.”
Merck and the Public Health Agency of Canada, however, refused to comment on the potential agreement between Merck and Newlink.
The last time Newlink found itself in the news was when it announced November 6 that its Ebola vaccine was “well-tolerated” in early human trials. The company further made public its desire to enter into a partnership with a large pharmaceutical company to increase the production of its Ebola vaccine, which is currently in Phase I trials.
It is worth noting that Merck was also involved in developing an Ebola vaccine until last year, when it sold off its Ebola vaccine research unit, Okairos AG, to GlaxoSmithKline plc (ADR) (NYSE:GSK).
Several other companies and medical organizations are also working on Ebola drugs and vaccines in an attempt to eliminate the Ebola outbreak as quickly as possible.
Doctors Without Borders recently announced plans to start three experimental Ebola drug trials in West Africa to curb the increasing death toll from Ebola. The trials are expected to commence next month, with the initials results set to come out as early as February next year. Other companies including GSK, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), Novavax, Inc. (NASDAQ:NVAX) and Profectus Biosciences Inc. are also working on an Ebola vaccine.
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