The National Institute of Health at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on the 5th it will push to develop a domestically produced Nipah virus vaccine. Nipah virus infection is a high-risk zoonotic infectious disease.
When infected with the Nipah virus, patients develop fever, headache, muscle pain, dizziness, and reduced consciousness. In severe cases, it can cause encephalitis and seizures and can be fatal. The fatality rate is 40%–75%, but there has been no commercialized vaccine or treatment.
The Nipah virus was first discovered in Malaysia in 1998. Infection usually occurs through contact with animals infected with the Nipah virus, such as bats, or by eating contaminated food. Human-to-human transmission is also possible with close contact with a patient's bodily fluids. The agency assesses that, while cases are currently regional, there is a possibility it could become a future pandemic.
The agency will conduct animal efficacy evaluations of Nipah virus vaccine candidates this year. It plans to establish a good manufacturing practice (GMP) production process. Safety evaluations will be conducted in 2027–2028, with entry into phase 1 clinical trials in 2029–2030, aiming to secure a domestically produced Nipah virus vaccine.
In 2023, the agency drew up a mid- to long-term plan to prepare for new infectious disease pandemics and is pursuing vaccine development for nine infectious diseases, including the Nipah virus and COVID-19. In cooperation with domestic corporations, it is utilizing adjuvant platforms, messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), and artificial intelligence technologies. The mRNA Vaccine can be produced quickly as long as the genetic information is available, even if the virus mutates.
Im Seung-kwan, commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, said, "The Nipah virus has a potential risk of spreading into a pandemic," adding, "We plan to enhance a preemptive response system to infectious diseases."