The rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus is spreading rapidly in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, while preparations for a vaccine against this virus are progressing quickly.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1,000 suspected cases of this Ebola virus have been reported so far, with several deaths also confirmed.
The alarming fact is that there is currently neither an approved vaccine nor an effective treatment available for this specific strain of Ebola.
The global public health organization CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) has announced financial assistance of approximately 60 million dollars to Moderna and other institutions to accelerate the development of a vaccine against the dangerous Ebola Bundibugyo virus spreading in Congo.
According to reports, cases of Ebola Bundibugyo virus are rapidly increasing in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, while no approved vaccine or treatment is currently available against it.
CEPI chief Richard Hatchett told Reuters that early stage vaccines could be ready for clinical trials within a few months, however he warned that the unstable security situation in eastern Congo could complicate the trial process.
According to the World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 282 confirmed cases of Ebola have been reported in Congo so far, including 42 deaths, while around 1,100 suspected cases have also been reported. In Uganda, 9 cases and 1 death have also been confirmed.
CEPI has allocated up to 50 million dollars in funding for preclinical and early clinical trials of Moderna’s experimental vaccine. According to Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel, the company has already achieved positive results in early Ebola experiments.
He said that the vaccine aims to provide protection against the deadly virus and simplify the dosing system, however it is still unclear whether the vaccine will be a single dose or two doses.
CEPI has also announced funding of 8.6 million dollars for a joint vaccine project by the University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India, while an initial 3.2 million dollars has been announced for a project by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative.
The Oxford vaccine “ChAdOx1 Bundibugyo” is based on the same technology used in the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID 19 vaccine.
Experts say that after vaccine development, the biggest challenge will be ensuring timely access and distribution to affected areas. It is worth noting that between 2018 and 2020, around 300,000 vaccine doses were used to control the Ebola Zaire outbreak in Congo.
On the other hand, the global vaccine alliance Gavi has announced an additional 50 million dollars in funding to combat Ebola, while the World Bank’s Pandemic Fund has indicated grants of over 220 million dollars.
