Thursday, February 19, 2015

Smallish Update: NewLink Genetics Gets $20 Million Milestone Deposit From Merck -- Large Ebola Vaccine Candidate Trial Underway In Sierra Leone


Completely immaterial to massive Merck, but good news for the Ames, Iowa NewLink folks.

Here's to hoping that they can get to a large enough wedge, to prove effectiveness. From the Genetic Engineering and BioTech News report then -- a bit:

. . . .NewLink Genetics said today it will receive $20 million from Merck & Co. for achieving a key clinical development milestone in their collaboration to co-develop the experimental Ebola vaccine candidate rVSV-EBOV—namely the launch of a large-scale clinical trial.

Earlier this month, NIH announced the launch of the Partnership for Research on Ebola Vaccines in Liberia (PREVAIL), a Phase II/III study in which approximately 27,000 healthy men and women aged 18 years and older are being assessed for their response following assignment at random to placebo or any of two Ebola vaccine candidates—rVSV-EBOV, and cAd3-EBOZ. . . .


Onward! And we send our very best wishes -- that it all works out. Whether it is one and done, or prime plus boost -- the planet will need to have it at the ready.

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