Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

The University of Oxford and the Ifakara Health Institute today announced the vaccination of the first participants in a Phase Ib/II trial testing a novel rabies vaccine in human volunteers in Tanzania.

Artist's impression of the rabies virus

The new RAB002 trial builds on encouraging results from a recent, smaller study of the same vaccine in the UK. Up to 192 healthy people will be randomly assigned to receive one dose of Oxford’s ChAdOx2 RabG vaccine, or one or two doses of a currently licensed rabies vaccine. The study aims to show whether a single dose of the Oxford vaccine has the potential to induce protective immune responses comparable to existing vaccines.

Dr Sandy Douglas, Research Group Leader and Chief Investigator of the trial, said: ‘Many people are unaware that rabies still kills about 50,000 people every year, mostly in Asia and Africa – it’s the only known viral infection with essentially 100% fatality. Current rabies vaccines are effective but they require multiple doses and they’re too expensive for broad use. A single-dose, low cost vaccine would be a game changer – this trial should show us whether our new vaccine could provide that.’

Read the full story on the University of Oxford website