Janssen among groups in Innovative Medicines Initiative consortia to accelerate Ebola program

US health care giant Johnson & Johnson’s (NYSE: JNJ) Europe-based subsidiary Janssen has formed consortia with several global research institutions and non-government organizations to accelerate its Ebola vaccine development.

The consortia will bring together bodies including the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the French Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale  and the University of Oxford. The funds will support several consortia working on four projects, of which three are designed to address the need to accelerate Phase I, II and III trials and scale up production of the prime-boost vaccine regimen.

A Phase I trial led by Oxford Vaccines Group is currently underway with trials in Africa being planned. The Phase II and III trials in Europe and Africa, subject to review of the preliminary Phase I data, will be carried out in parallel. A fourth project will investigate innovative ways and technology to raise awareness and acceptance of vaccination campaigns.