New Ebola vaccine trials approved amidst DRC outbreak

These trials focus on the Bundibugyo strain, which has resulted in over 5,300 fatalities since May, primarily within the DRC. The virus carries a 50% fatality rate, largely due to the absence of targeted vaccines or treatments.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that a trial initiated last month utilized the Ervebo vaccine, initially approved for the Zaire Ebola strain, but not specifically designed for Bundibugyo. The new vaccines now under evaluation are specifically engineered to combat the Bundibugyo virus, with results anticipated in early 2027.

The trials are being led by the DRC’s National Institute for Biomedical Research, in collaboration with the WHO and other partners. The vaccines were developed through a partnership between the University of Oxford, the Serum Institute of India, and Moderna.

“Vaccines are powerful tools, but they are not substitutes for the proven measures that can save lives now: early care, contact tracing, isolation, safe and dignified burials and trusted engagement with communities,” Ghebreyesus stated.

The African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reports a total of 10,444 confirmed cases of the Bundibugyo virus, marking the most rapid expansion of an outbreak in DRC’s history. Cases have also been reported in Kenya (nine cases, two deaths) and Nigeria (one case).

Ghebreyesus has called for the removal of travel restrictions imposed by certain nations, expressing concern that these measures may discourage open reporting of cases. He emphasized that such restrictions can penalize countries for transparency and hinder the response efforts.

The WHO is providing support to neighboring countries to prepare for potential cross-border transmission.

Separately, a British healthcare worker infected with Ebola is being medically evacuated from the DRC to the United Kingdom for specialized care. The UK government reports the individual is stable and expected to arrive in the UK by Thursday, to be transferred to a specialist infectious disease unit. The risk to the UK public remains low.