BEIJING — An Ebola vaccine developed by a military-tied research institute has been approved to enter the human test stage, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) General Logistics Department announced on Dec 18.

The restructured vaccine, developed by the Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMC), is based on the 2014 mutant gene type and especially targets the strain plaguing west Africa.

The vaccine is currently in the form of a freeze-dried powder, which will keep it stable for at least two weeks in temperatures of up to 37 degrees celsius. This will make it suitable for the tropical west African region and assist with large-scale production, according to a review report by 17 experts in the field.