A new drug Zmapp against the Ebola virus showed 100% efficacy in animal studies
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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American experts conducted a study of a new drug against Ebola fever - Zmapp, which showed 100% effectiveness in experiments on animals.
For the experiment, scientists selected 21 monkeys, who were infected with the Ebola virus. In 18 animals, specialists gave an experimental vaccine and as a result, even those animals that were vaccinated at the late stage of the disease recovered - five days after the disease (in monkeys, the virus takes a lethal form three days after infection). Three monkeys, who did not receive the experimental drug, died approximately three weeks after the onset of infection.
Specialists noted that even if currently clinical trials in humans show a good result, it will be possible to start the vaccine in production not earlier than in a few months.
As the data of the World Health Organization show, three thousand people were affected by the Ebola virus, more than 1500 patients died from this hemorrhagic fever. But experts believe that the number of cases can actually be much higher.
Zmapp is considered a "secret drug" because at this stage the vaccine is under development. The Zmapp vaccine has already been tested in humans, but the drug does not show the expected effect (of the four patients who received the vaccine - two died). Despite the use of the drug from the Ebola virus, a Spanish priest and a doctor from Liberia were killed, but two medics from the US states were successfully cured.
Given the rapid spread of the virus, the World Health Organization has previously authorized the use of drugs against Ebola, which have not yet been clinically tested with human participation.
Currently, WHO considers the Ebola virus as a threat to international significance. The spread of the virus occurs much faster than the experts assumed. The authorities in Sierra Leone and Liberia have already declared a state of emergency.
Over the time of the epidemic from fever virus in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Liberia killed more than 1500 people.
Recently, scientists have determined that the disease began to spread after the death of the Liberian medicine man, who was engaged in the treatment of Ebola hemorrhagic fever. The first twelve infected by the virus were at the funeral of this healer.
Scientists from the United States and Africa noted that the virus that affects the population of Africa is a mutated consequence of the virus that hit the population about sixteen years ago. According to the authors of the research project, the modern virus mutates at a rate twice as high as it was noted in the past periods of the epidemic outbreak, in addition, replacements in the genome exceed the level above the average.
Currently, scientists have detected more than 400 mutations of a dangerous virus, which, in their opinion, can help in clarifying the reasons why the epidemic is so severe. The modern Ebola virus is more dangerous than previously thought, while working with it, five specialists were already killed.