TWO NEW vaccine candidates for the Bundibugyo Ebola virus have been recommended for clinical evaluation as the outbreak of the disease continues to spread and claim lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Announced by the World Health Organization (WHO), the recommendation will mark the first time vaccines developed specifically against the Bundibugyo strain of the virus are tested during an active outbreak.
The candidates will join the ongoing Tumaini trial following national approvals.
The candidates, ChAdOx1, developed by the University of Oxford with the Serum Institute of India, and Moderna’s mRNA-1469, will join the ongoing Tumaini vaccine trial in DRC if granted national approval.
Using a ring-vaccination approach, the trial enrols contacts of people with confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease. Four vaccination rings are already established, with more being prepared.
WHO’s independent Technical Advisory Group on Candidate Vaccine Prioritization recommended both for further evaluation based on preclinical and early clinical evidence.
Their inclusion mark a promising step forward in research aiming to tackle the current disease outbreak in DRC which has already claimed the lives of over 5,000 people.
Ervebo, an already established vaccine which has demonstrated efficacy against Zaire strain of the ebolavirus is already being evaluated in Tumaini to assess whether it also protects against Bundibugyo virus.
The research developments come as the outbreak continues to place pressure on affected communities.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), as of November, the DRC had reported 10,532 confirmed cases of the disease in total, including 5,126 deaths.
Eight provinces in the country have been affected, with Ituri and North Kivu accounting for the greatest burden.
Cases have also been reported in Kenya and Nigeria, although reports at the beginning of the month showed no new recorded cases since a previous weekly updare. Uganda’s outbreak was declared over in August.
Insecurity and ongoing humanitarian challenges in the region also limit understanding of patterns of spread and have in some instances curbed efforts to stop transmission,
The ECDC cautions that reported figures remain subject to review and reconciliation and that the outbreak could potentially be larger than detected.
Alongside vaccination research, the WHO-sponsored PARTNERS trial is investigating whether the monoclonal antibody MBP134, the antiviral remdesivir, or their combination can improve survival in patients already infected with the virus.
Maftivimab, which is currently one part of an approved three part monoclonal antibody fixed-dose drug cocktail for Zaire ebolavirus, is also expected to be added to the trial.
A further complementary study is also evaluating obeldevisir, a nucleoside anti-viral agent, as post-exposure prophylaxis.
Initial treatment findings are expected in the coming months, with vaccine-trial results anticipated in early 2027.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the progress, hailing the vaccines “a powerful new tool” and a “ testament to the power of science and partnership,” but stressed that “vaccines alone will not end this outbreak”.
European involvement extends beyond vaccine development. ECDC experts have supported epidemiological work in the DRC and preparedness and response activities in Nigeria.
Although patients with the infection have been medically evacuated or imported into European countries, ECDC continues to assess the likelihood of infection among people living in the EU/EEA as very low.
The immediate challenge remains controlling transmission in affected areas while generating evidence on interventions that could prevent illness and improve survival. These two new vaccine candidates are certainly a step in this direction.
Feautre image: MargJohnsonVA on AdobeStock
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