Inovio Pharmaceuticals will launch a phase 1 clinical trial of a DNA-based vaccine.
The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced the rollout of an updated strategy to fight Zika virus, covering response steps over the next 18 months. It said it needs $121.9 million to carry out the strategy.
The same test is in use at a Houston-area blood center, with some others facilities in the southern United States planning to start testing.
The CDC notes 6 instances of Zika-linked birth defects, 3 involving live births.
All 4 babies with microcephaly were born to asymptomatic women.
Though the WHO has rejected calls to postpone or move the Olympics, the emergency committee reconsidered the issue again, weighing input from more experts.
The plan includes a tiered approach, tailored to how much Aedes mosquito and disease activity exists in any given region.
The WHO says it does not recommend delaying pregnancy in Zika-affected areas, while 3 reports highlight sexual transmission risks.
The CDC is working on a Zika response plan for when the first local US cases are detected.
Also, the NAS says more research is needed on genetically modified mosquitoes.
