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Oxford University launches world’s first Phase II Nipah virus vaccine trial: Why is this significant?

Pune-based Serum Institute of India has manufactured the vaccine for trials in Bangladesh.

4 min readUpdated: Dec 9, 2025 10:47 AM IST

The vaccine has been developed using the same viral- vector platform as the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (File photo/Canva)

The University of Oxford has launched the world’s first Phase II clinical trial of a Nipah virus vaccine candidate in Bangladesh, which has been manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII). A vaccine is urgently needed as the infection can be fatal in up to 75 per cent of cases.

The ChAdOx NipahB vaccine was manufactured for this clinical trial by the Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. (SIIPL), part of Cyrus Poonawalla Group and the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, in collaboration with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

The vaccine has been developed using the same viral- vector platform as the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and involves manufacturing processes that were originally used for the Covid vaccine, Prof Brian Angus, chief investigator of the trial at the Oxford Vaccine Group, told The Indian Express over email. “The vaccine targets the glycoprotein G isolated from the Bangladesh strain. This is very similar to the India strain and also covers the Malaysia strain,” Prof Angus said.

The trial will enrol 306 healthy participants aged 18 to 55 and is being conducted in Bangladesh in partnership with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh. Developed by scientists at the University of Oxford’s Pandemic Sciences Institute, the first in human trials of the ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine started in January 2024 in Oxford, led by the Oxford Vaccine Group. Fifty-one people aged 18 to 55 have safely completed one year of follow-up in the Oxford trial with results expected in the coming months.

What is Nipah?

Nipah virus is a deadly zoonotic disease with a case fatality rate of up to 75 per cent and is listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a priority pathogen with pandemic potential for research and development. First identified after an outbreak in Malaysia, Nipah virus causes small outbreaks in Bangladesh almost every year and occasionally in India. Of the 750 cases recorded since 1998, there have been 415 deaths.

The zoonotic virus is carried by fruit bats and its main route of transmission is through drinking contaminated date palm sap. Humans may also be infected via an intermediate animal host, or by person-to-person spread including healthcare workers. Initial symptoms include fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat. These can quickly progress to acute encephalitis, pneumonia and severe respiratory problems.

Why is the trial significant?

The trial will assess the safety and immune response of the ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine in a region where the virus causes recurrent outbreaks.

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According to Prof Angus, starting a Phase II trial in a country affected by regular Nipah outbreaks is a critical step in making sure this vaccine is both effective and relevant to the people who need it most. “It’s an essential part of ensuring equitable access to protection against emerging infectious diseases,” he said.

How stable is the vaccine?

“Viral vector vaccines are much more heat-stable and so storage at +5 degrees for a few days has been shown to maintain potency. In fact, there is evidence of safety even when higher temperatures have been inadvertently exposed. This is one of the advantages of ChAdOx use in low-resource and outbreak settings. The rapid scalability of production is also an advantage, as thousands of doses can be manufactured within days,” Prof Angus said.

Dr Umesh Shaligram, Executive Director, Serum Institute of India, had earlier said that SII would manufacture doses for use in Phase II clinical trials. “The effort will be to create an investigational reserve of up to 100,000 doses, which could be deployed under emergency use during a future Nipah virus outbreak,” he had said.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More