The First FDA-Approved Zika Vaccination Is Finally Here For Human Trial

Since the World Health Organization listed the Zika virus outbreak as an international public health emergency, scientists have been working around the clock to formulate an effective vaccination to prevent it from spreading.

Now it appears we may have one in the works. According to The Washington Post, the Food and Drug Administration has approved human trials for the experimental vaccine that are set to begin in the coming weeks. Inovio Pharmaceuticals, the company leading the research on Zika virus vaccines, plans to test the new drug on 40 healthy people. However, we won't get the results back from the trial run until later this year.

NBC News reports that the vaccine works by introducing tiny amounts of synthetic materials into the body that prepare the immune system to mimic and fight against Zika. The vaccine has been tested on animals, and so far, the test subjects were able to develop antibodies that successfully blocked the virus and quelled infection.

While the average consumer will likely wait months or years before seeing a Zika vaccine hit pharmacy shelves, Inovio's drug is currently the most promising antidote. As of now, there are no proven cures, treatments or vaccines for the Zika virus.

Citations: The FDA Has Approved the First Zika Vaccine for Human Testing (Elle)