Ebola vaccine trial begins in DR Congo
The outbreak response has been hampered by the lack of approved treatments for the Bundibugyo strain, with the Ervebo vaccine to be tested for potential cross-protection.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has been grappling with its worst-ever Ebola outbreak, with more than 9,700 cases and over 4,600 deaths. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated the first clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine in the region. Ervebo, an approved vaccine for the Zaire strain, will be tested in Bunia, the epicenter of the outbreak.
The trial, named Tumaini, aims to determine if the vaccine offers cross-protection against the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, which is behind the current epidemic. Two additional Bundibugyo-specific vaccines, one from the University of Oxford and the other from Moderna, are also being tested in the trial. The Tumaini trial will use a ring vaccination approach, immunizing high-risk contacts to assess the vaccines' safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity.
The trial will involve pregnant women and children aged 12 years and older, providing crucial data for these vulnerable populations. If successful, the trial could offer much-needed evidence of vaccine efficacy against the Bundibugyo virus, potentially transforming future outbreak responses and saving lives.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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