Nipah virus is a paramyxovirus circulating in bats across Asia, occasionally spilling over to humans, causing high-fatality outbreaks. The first outbreak was reported in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998. Since then, over 700 human cases have been recorded, more than half of which were fatal. No specific treatment options exist, while vaccine candidates are in development. Learn more about CEPI’s R&D efforts here: Nipah on cepi.net
ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine reserve
CEPI, the University of Oxford, and the Serum Institute of India have partnered to create the world’s largest investigational reserve of Nipah virus vaccines, producing up to 100,000 doses of the ChAdOx1 NipahB candidate for phase II trials and emergency use. Supported by CEPI funding of $7.3 million, the initiative aims to strengthen pandemic preparedness against Nipah virus by advancing clinical testing in affected regions and ensuring rapid deployment during outbreaks. Built on the same platform as the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, this project represents the first-ever phase II Nipah vaccine trials globally and aligns with CEPI’s “100 Days Mission” to deliver outbreak vaccines quickly, with a strong commitment to equitable access, particularly for vulnerable populations in the Global South. Read more here: Establishing the world's largest Nipah virus vaccine reserve
PHV02 vaccine candidate in Bangladesh
A new Nipah virus vaccine (PHV02) is to be tested in Bangladesh, where outbreaks happen almost every year. Backed by $17.3 million from CEPI, the vaccine—developed by U.S. biotech company Public Health Vaccines—has already shown good safety and immune response in early trials. The upcoming phase II study will involve around 500 adults and 75 children to check if the vaccine is safe, easy to make, and effective. PHV02 uses the same technology as the successful Ebola vaccine, meaning it could be quickly adapted for future pandemics. If proven effective, CEPI and PHV plan to stockpile doses for rapid use in outbreak zones, with a strong focus on making the vaccine affordable and accessible in low- and middle-income countries. Read more here: New vaccine set for human trials in Nipah outbreak hotspot
Characterising the epidemiological diversity of Nipah virus strains
A CEPI funded retrospective study in Bangladesh characterised the epidemiologic, clinical, and genomic diversity of Nipah virus (NiV) cases from 2012–2023. During this period, 117 confirmed and 23 probable cases were identified. Of the 29 PCR positive cases from 2016–2023, 21 yielded near complete or partial genomes, revealing two circulating sublineages: NiV BD 1 and NiV BD 2. NiV BD 2 had a broader geographic distribution, including southern regions, but the sublineages did not differ significantly in demographic characteristics or transmission routes. See the paper here: Epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and genetic diversity of Nipah virus strains from Bangladesh: 2016-2023. ScienceDirect
A similar CEPI-funded project examined archived samples from Malaysia's 1998–1999 Nipah virus outbreak, revealing two main regional lineages and highlighting Malaysian strains as a distinct group. The study found some evidence of viral quasispecies in the brain. These findings provide critical insights into NiV pathogenesis and highlight the potential challenges for vaccine development and compartmentalised replication. All genome sequences are available in GenBank.
Laboratory Research and Innovation
The department of Laboratory Research and Innovations (LRI) supports CEPI’s Nipah portfolio by providing laboratory reagents and tools to enable developers of medical countermeasures (MCM) to advance the assessment of their products. Together with CLN partners in affected regions, including icddr,b in Bangladesh, ICMR and THSTHI in India, and Universiti Malaya in Malaysia, LRI have developed and qualified clinical-grade assays for immunological assessments among clinical trial participants. The generous participation of survivors of Nipah virus disease (NVD) has enabled research to characterize long-term immune responses after NVD, as well as the production of a WHO International Antibody Standard to enable comparison of assay results across laboratories. LRI are also establishing well-characterized laboratory models of NVD through their PMN partners to enable MCM developers to generate pivotal efficacy data necessary for regulatory authorization of their products.
Muntasir Alam et al. Development and Validation of a Standardized Pseudotyped Virus-Based Neutralization Assay for Assessment of Anti-Nipah Virus Neutralizing Activity in Candidate Nipah Vaccines | Vaccines (Basel). July 2025; 13(7):753
