'Winter Vomiting Bug' vaccine trial starting in hospitals in Wales
A clinical trial jab to protect against the Norovirus or 'winter vomiting bug' will be distributed in selected hospitals in Cardiff and Wrexham
Last updated 27th Oct 2024
Researchers are searching for British volunteers to trial the world's first ever vaccine for norovirus.
The vomiting bug is thought to be linked to around 12,000 hospital admissions every year in the UK.
The new mRNA vaccine from Moderna will enter final stages of testing, with results so far showing it creates a "strong immune response".
The jab uses mRNA technology to tell the immune system to recognise a "foreign" protein on viruses and mount an attack, in this case targeting three major strains of norovirus.
Some 27 NHS hospitals and centres in England, Scotland and Wales are taking part in the trial, with some running mobile clinics that could visit care homes or other community sites.
Overall, it is hoped 2,500 people in the UK will sign up for the trial before the end of December. Half will receive the vaccine while the other half get a dummy drug.
Everyone in the trial will be followed up for around 25 months, and experts hope the results will show 65% or higher efficacy for the jab.
Professor Andrew Freedman works at the University Hospital of Wales where the jab will be released on the 28th of October, he said:
"It's a highly infectious virus, which spreads very easily in settings such as hospitals, care homes and nursery's. It tends to occur, as the name implies, during Winter."
"It the trial will involve a large number of patients, not just in the UK but around the world. Around 25,000 patients are going to be randomised to either receive the active vaccine or the placebo vaccine. So, it will be a 50:50 chance what participants get."
Moderna will also analyse whether the vaccine should be used as a seasonal jab like the flu vaccine, or whether it could offer lifelong immunity.
The firm hopes to file marketing applications in 2026 to have the vaccine approved by health regulators.
Around two-thirds of outbreaks are in care homes but places such as hospitals, nurseries and schools are also at risk.
Professions that can be badly affected include health and care workers, childcare staff, military personnel, cruise ship employees, flight attendants and food handlers.
The new trial is part of the Government's 10-year strategic partnership with Moderna, which is seeing the firm build a new mRNA research, development and manufacturing facility and investing in UK clinical trials.