An early-stage vaccine for Zika virus developed by Inovio Pharmaceuticals showed promising results in a mouse study, according to Reuters.
When administered to mice with Zika virus, the experimental vaccine triggered the development of antibodies and promoted a response from T-cells, which are important indicators of immunization, according to a Wednesday statement from the drug maker. The vaccine, which is being developed in a South Korea lab, will soon undergo testing in non-human primates.
More than a dozen groups of researchers, including the National Institutes of Health, are working to develop a Zika vaccine, according to the World Health Organization. While a causal link between Zika virus and microcephaly, a birth defect that can result in serious developmental disorders, has not been established, a correlation between the virus in pregnant women and infants born with the condition are causing alarm worldwide.
Researchers estimate 80 percent of those infected with Zika are asymptomatic, and for some the virus may manifest with relatively standard flu symptoms. Vaccine development for Zika is further complicated by concerns about the safety of vaccinating pregnant women, according to Reuters.