Ebola Drug ZMapp Is 100% Effective

Hopes of a breakthrough in the fight against
Ebola have been raised by the 100%
successful treatment of monkeys with the
deadly disease.
The experimental drug, ZMapp, cured the
animals even when administered five days
after infection, while they were displaying
severe symptoms.
All 18 rhesus macaques made a complete
recovery, in contrast to three other untreated
monkeys that quickly fell seriously ill and died.
Two U.S. doctors given the drug after they were
infected with Ebola while working in Liberia
subsequently recovered. It is not known,
however, whether they were saved by the drug
or just lucky.
About 45% of those infected in the current
outbreak have survived without treatment.
At least two other patients treated with ZMapp
have died, possibly because help got to them
too late.
The new research, published in a special report
on Nature Journal’s website, provides hard
evidence that the drug works and can be highly
effective.
ZMapp is a blend of three laboratory-made
antibodies designed to neutralise the virus.