Global Push for New Ebola Strain Vaccine Intensifies

Global health organisations have launched an urgent effort to develop vaccines against the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola as the deadly outbreak continues to spread across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighbouring Uganda. Nearly 250 people are suspected to have died and more than 1,100 have been infected, although health officials fear the true scale of the outbreak may be much larger. The current outbreak is the third caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no approved vaccines or treatments currently exist. In response, several international organisations have announced new funding and partnerships aimed at accelerating vaccine development.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified a single-dose vaccine based on the rVSV platform as the most promising candidate. The vaccine is being developed through a partnership between the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and the University of Texas Medical Branch. Researchers say earlier studies showed the vaccine provided strong protection against the Bundibugyo strain in animals, but development stalled for years due to limited commercial interest.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has announced funding to fast-track three vaccine candidates, including support for the rVSV vaccine and a separate candidate based on the University of Oxford's ChAdOx1 platform. The Oxford-developed vaccine, which will be manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, could enter clinical trials within two to three months, making it one of the fastest-moving candidates currently under development.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who recently visited the outbreak's epicentre in the DRC, welcomed the new funding, describing it as "an important step forward" in efforts to combat the outbreak. Researchers are also exploring whether an existing Ebola vaccine could help combat the outbreak. Scientists at France's INSERM research institute have called for trials to determine whether the licensed vaccine used against the more common Zaire strain of Ebola can provide protection against the Bundibugyo strain. CEPI has also committed $50 million to an mRNA vaccine candidate being developed by Moderna, while the Gavi vaccine alliance has pledged up to $50 million to support vaccine production and deployment.

"We need to act now to ensure that, once one or more vaccine candidates are ready, manufacturers are in a position to start producing doses at scale," said Sania Nishtar, Chief Executive Officer of Gavi. Health officials caution that significant challenges remain, including conducting clinical trials in remote regions affected by conflict, hunger and disease. Building trust within local communities will also be critical to the success of any vaccination campaign.

Alongside vaccine efforts, researchers are evaluating several potential treatments, including antiviral drugs remdesivir and obeldesivir, as well as the monoclonal antibody therapy MBP134. Experts say the accelerated global response offers hope, but stress that all vaccine candidates must still undergo testing to prove they are safe and effective.