The Zika vaccines market is expected to witness significant growth, due to high incidence of Zika virus infection. In November 2019, The European Centers for Disease Control confirmed the first three cases of Zika that started in southern France. Zika is spread mostly by the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. These mosquitoes bite during the day and night. Recently, there have been clusters of cases of meningitis, encephalitis, meningitis and other neurological conditions caused by the disease. There are also links to birth defects and neurological problems in some of the babies born to infected mothers. Such concerns are expected to aid in growth of the Zika vaccines market.
R&D of new products is expected to aid in growth of the Zika
vaccines market. Currently, a licensed product, in the form of a live virus
extract, is under clinical trials. A Zika vaccine is targeted at preventing the
complications and symptoms of pregnancy-related Zoonotic infections caused by
the strain of Aedes species. Since it is generally associated with an airborne
infection, it was assumed that a vaccine would be needed to prevent infection
during pregnancy. There have been no clinical trials testing the safety of this
vaccine in pregnant women, however, since the product's development stage
involves both in vitro and in silico technologies.
North America Zika vaccines market is driven by R&D of
new products. The Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Authority is currently
evaluating four related Zika virus vaccines in development. The first is a type
2 injectable vaccine intended for women of childbearing age; the second is a vehicle
injected in kittens that prevent the infection from occurring in kittens that
are not immunized; the third is a whole virus product designed to be
administered to pregnant mothers; and the fourth is an in vitro cell culture
product aimed at preventing the infection in cell cultures. These vaccines are
currently being evaluated in phase 1 clinical trials. No medication has been
proven to stop or prevent the spread of the zika virus, but vaccines can reduce
the risk to infants and mothers when infected.
The clinical trial procedures vary according to the type of
product being tested. In the case of the in-vitro zika virus vaccine
candidates, which are manufactured in the laboratories and then distributed by
means of nasal trays into the nasal cavity, the primary test procedure involves
exposing the vaccines to irritants and then monitoring the reaction of the mice
for approximately two hours post-exposure. The product is expected to be able
to protect mice from infection if at least one injection is successful.