World's first norovirus vaccine to be trialled in the UK with hopes it could slash 'burden on the NHS'

The brand new mRNA vaccine, developed by Moderna, has so far shown a “strong immune response” and will enter its final stage of testing in just two weeks times. Experts believe that the vaccine could work to help prevent people from developing the virus, which causes vomiting and diarrhoea in patients.

Norovirus is the cause of 12,000 hospital admissions every year. Dr Patrick Moore, chief investigator of the study and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) director in the South West, said: “Norovirus is what we know as the winter vomiting bug, and it’s highly transmissible.

“It causes vomiting and diarrhoea, usually for two to three days. It can affect people of all ages, and it usually peaks in the winter months in the UK…but we do see norovirus throughout the whole of the year. About one in five cases of gastroenteritis are caused by norovirus – that’s about four million cases annually in the UK and about 685 million globally.”

He added that there is currently  “no approved vaccines for norovirus anywhere in the world”, with the only available treatment for those seriously ill being intravenous fluids.

Around 27 hospitals throughout England, Scotland and Wales are taking part in the trial of the vaccine, which works by harnessing mRNA technology to teach the immune system to recognise a “foreign” protein on the viruses and attack it. Mobile clinics will also take part in the trial, as well as care home visits and community sites, with hope that the trial will reach 2,500 people in the UK.

Those who do sign up to take part will need to do so by the end of December, with one half of the trial group given the mRNA vaccine, while another control group is given a dummy drug. Experts will follow up on patients 25 months later, with hope that efficacy will reach 65% or higher.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Norovirus is highly infectious and puts the NHS under huge strain every winter, costing taxpayers around £100 million a year. The UK is leading the way to develop a world-first vaccine for this vomiting bug, starting with this innovative vaccine trial delivered through the Government-funded National Institute for Health and Care Research.

“Not only is this a huge vote of confidence in the UK’s life sciences sector, but a successful vaccine will help shift our health system away from sickness and towards prevention – reducing pressure on the NHS and keeping people well during the colder months.”