Three vaccine developers receive $60m for Bundibugyo Ebola work

Three vaccine developers received $60m in emergency funding this week to develop candidates against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola that is spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. No vaccine or treatment is currently available for this strain.

Security problems in the affected region of the DRC, where conflict has displaced tens of thousands, have delayed the start of clinical trials.

Vaccine candidates The International Aids Vaccine Initiative is adapting technology used in an existing Ebola vaccine that targets the Zaire strain. Officials expect doses of the adapted candidate to be ready for trials in seven to nine months. Oxford University, working with the Serum Institute of India, is testing a different candidate that could enter trials within two or three months.

The approach uses the same platform as the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. Moderna is also developing an mRNA candidate. The company has received up to $50m from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to support early testing.

Treatment and prevention studies Three existing medicines are under consideration as possible treatments: two monoclonal antibodies and the antiviral remdesivir. Researchers are seeking regulatory approval in the DRC and Uganda to begin a treatment trial.

A prevention study will test whether daily doses of the antiviral obdeldesivir can stop contacts of confirmed cases from developing the disease. The approach has shown full protection in animal tests against other Ebola strains. Researchers said the main remaining obstacle is the security situation, which affects both access to patients and the safety of trial teams.