Krankheiten: Ebola-Medikamentenstudien starten – WHO sieht Fortschritte

In the fight against the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, several drug and vaccine studies have now begun. However, even in the best-case scenario where the medications and vaccines prove to be effective, it will take months before they become available to all affected individuals, stated Vasee Moorthy from the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva. At the same time, promising data from preclinical studies is expected to be evaluated this week.

The first drug study has enrolled 50 patients at three treatment centers, with a total of 10 centers planned for the study. However, additional trained personnel will be needed to properly monitor the patients. In total, 25 people will receive prophylactic treatment, typically relatives who had direct contact with an infected person. The drug aims to prevent the disease from developing in them.

First tests with a potential vaccine have begun in healthy volunteers in Britain. A second test is scheduled to start this week in Canada. The tests will check the immune response to the vaccine. The first vaccine was developed at Oxford University and the Serum Institute in India, while the second was developed by the company Moderna. So far, only vaccines for other Ebola variants have been developed. For the one currently causing around 1,700 deaths in Congo, the Bundibugyo variant, there is still no vaccine.