Are Nipah Virus Vaccines Available in 2026

In 2026, as the world confronts emerging infectious diseases, the World Health Organization (WHO) remains at the forefront of developing vaccine candidates against the deadly Nipah virus (NiV).

The WHO has outlined a comprehensive pipeline of NiV vaccine candidates, which includes live-attenuated and replication-defective recombinant platforms based on various viruses, such as poxviruses, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), adenovirus, measles, rabies, and virus-like particles, as well as subunit vaccines.

As of January 27, 2026, no vaccine or treatment for NiV has received authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency.

However, clinical trials are actively progressing, marking significant milestones in vaccine development.

In 2026, the UK and The Pirbright Institute are supporting the development of vaccines against henipaviruses, including the NiV. 

One standout candidate is the ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford's Pandemic Sciences Institute. In December 2025, the university launched the world's first Phase II clinical trial in Bangladesh, a known hotspot for NiV outbreaks.

This trial is conducted in partnership with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), and is funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). The trial builds on successful Phase I results from 2024, where the vaccine demonstrated safety and immunogenicity in 51 participants.

Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, a Vaccinology professor at the University of Oxford and developer of the vaccine, highlighted the significance of these advancements in a press release: "This new trial in Bangladesh marks an important step forward in our work to develop a vaccine against the Nipah virus, a deadly health threat that currently lacks an approved vaccine or treatment."

Additionally, the Serum Institute of India is collaborating with Oxford and CEPI to manufacture up to 100,000 investigational doses of ChAdOx1 NipahB, creating the world's largest NiV vaccine reserve for potential emergency use.

While clinical trial challenges remain, such as evaluating efficacy without large outbreaks, these trials represent a critical push toward countering NiV.

As CEPI's investments and international collaborations, such as Hendra@30, the global community moves closer to developing vaccines to prevent future outbreaks caused by this bat-borne virus.