The RAB001 trial was conducted at the University and is the first time the novel rabies vaccine has been used in human volunteers. The aim of the study was to look at safety and measure immune responses from the vaccine by analysing levels of rabies neutralising antibodies – a powerful marker of successful rabies vaccination.
In their findings (published in The Lancet Microbe), the researchers reported that 12 volunteers were recruited into the study in total, with three receiving a low dose, three receiving a medium dose and six receiving a high dose of ChAdOx2 RabG. Strong immune responses against rabies were generated by the vaccine, with all volunteers who received a medium or high dose developing levels of rabies neutralising antibodies above the World Health Organisation protective threshold (0.5 International Units / ml) within two months.