Scientists for the UKHSA at testing site Porton Down are testing new vaccines created to fight tuberculosis with fresh hopes of a breakthrough which could outperform the current BCG jab
Tuberculosis is overtaking Covid-19 as the world’s deadliest infectious disease.
Experts fear mutant strains resistant to antibiotics could be imported to Britain. TB immunity from the current BCG jab, given to young children, wanes before the teenage years.
British military testing site Porton Down is evaluating several TB vaccine candidates on animals, on behalf of pharmaceutical companies. The Mirror understands ongoing tests using live TB bacteria in its world-leading high containment labs indicate the MTBVAC jab by Spanish firm Biofabri now stands out as a great hope of a breakthrough.
A Porton Down source said: “We have tested every TB vaccine candidate on this site. The MTBVAC Spanish one is very promising.”