Ebola vaccine trial begins in DR Congo

The first clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine commenced in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The outbreak in DR Congo is the country's most severe, surpassing 9,700 cases and causing over 4,600 deaths. A significant hurdle in the response is the absence of approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo species of Ebola responsible for this epidemic.

Ervebo, a vaccine approved for the more prevalent Zaire strain of Ebola, will undergo a large-scale human trial in the DRC to ascertain if it provides cross-protection against Bundibugyo.

Speaking on X, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed optimism, stating, "Today, in Bunia, DRC, the first participants were vaccinated in a new Ebola vaccine trial called Tumaini, which translates to hope in Swahili." This trial aims to determine the effectiveness of vaccines designed for the Bundibugyo virus. In the meantime, the existing Ervebo vaccine, approved for preventing other Ebola virus diseases, will also be tested.

The WHO is supporting this DRC-led initiative to uncover answers and save lives. The Tumaini trial, a single framework capable of testing the safety and efficacy of multiple vaccines, is expected to incorporate two Bundibugyo-specific candidate vaccines. One vaccine is being developed by the University of Oxford using a ChAdOx1 adenoviral vector, while the other is a Moderna group vaccine that utilizes mRNA technology.