Can Ebola Virus Vaccines Have Universal Immune Correlates of protection?

Trends Microbiol. 2019 Jan;27(1):8-16. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2018.08.008. Epub 2018 Sep 7.

Abstract

Testing vaccine efficacy against the highly lethal Ebola virus (EBOV) in humans is almost impossible due to obvious ethical reasons and the sporadic nature of outbreaks. For such situations, the 'animal rule' was established, requiring the product be tested in animal models, expected to predict the response observed in humans. For vaccines, this testing aims to identify immune correlates of protection, such as antibody or cell-mediated responses. In the wake of the 2013-2016 EBOV epidemic, and despite advancement of promising candidates into clinical trials, protective correlates remain ambiguous. In the hope of identifying a reliable correlate by comparing preclinical and clinical trial data on immune responses to vaccination, we conclude that correlates are not universal for all EBOV vaccines.

Keywords: Ebola; immune correlates; immunity; protection; vaccine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Disease Transmission, Infectious / prevention & control*
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods*
  • Ebola Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • Ebola Vaccines / immunology*
  • Ebola Vaccines / isolation & purification
  • Ebolavirus / immunology*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / prevention & control*
  • Humans
  • Treatment Outcome*

Substances

  • Ebola Vaccines