The University of Tokyo announced the upcoming launch of clinical trials for a vaccine against the Nipah virus. Testing of the drug is scheduled to begin in April in Belgium, according to zakon.kz.

The University of Tokyo's Center for Advanced Science and Technology is developing the vaccine. The need for the drug stems from recent outbreaks of the disease in India, which began in January of this year.

The Nipah virus is a zoonotic infection transmitted from animals to humans. Large fruit bats are the natural reservoir for the infection. The disease is highly fatal and can cause severe damage to the nervous and respiratory systems.

There is currently no approved effective vaccine against this virus worldwide. If trials are successful, this new development could help prevent future outbreaks and reduce epidemiological risks.