Global health organisation Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is investing nearly US$60 million to accelerate the development of vaccines against the deadly Ebola Bundibugyo virus, which has triggered a growing outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The funding will be distributed among several vaccine developers, including Moderna, as health authorities race to contain the disease amid rising infections and fatalities.
CEPI chief executive Richard Hatchett said vaccine candidates could be ready for human clinical trials within months, offering hope in the fight against a virus strain for which no approved vaccines or treatments currently exist.
“There is now a realistic pathway to having vaccines available in the not-too-distant future,” Hatchett said.
The Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak has already resulted in 282 confirmed cases and 42 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while authorities are also investigating more than 1,100 suspected infections. In neighbouring Uganda, nine confirmed cases and one death have also been recorded.
The escalating outbreak has prompted international health agencies to declare a public health emergency.
As part of the initiative, CEPI has committed up to US$50 million to support the development of Moderna’s experimental Ebola Bundibugyo vaccine. The funding will cover laboratory research, early-stage human trials, manufacturing preparations and potentially larger-scale studies if initial results prove successful.
Moderna chief executive Stephane Bancel said the company had already achieved promising results in preclinical studies and is working towards a vaccine that can provide strong protection while simplifying dosage requirements.
Researchers are still determining whether the vaccine will require a single dose or multiple doses, with that question expected to be addressed during Phase 1 clinical trials.
“Our goal is to move as quickly as possible without compromising safety,” Bancel said.
Beyond Moderna, CEPI will invest up to US$8.6 million in a vaccine candidate developed by the University of Oxford and manufactured by Serum Institute of India.
A further US$3.2 million has been allocated to a vaccine being developed by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative.
IAVI’s vaccine uses technology similar to that employed in Ervebo, the approved vaccine used against the Zaire strain of Ebola. Early animal studies have shown encouraging survival rates.
Oxford’s candidate vaccine, known as ChAdOx1 Bundibugyo, is based on the same platform used to develop the widely administered Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Hatchett noted that Oxford and Serum Institute demonstrated during a recent Rift Valley Fever outbreak that vaccine doses could be produced and prepared for trials in as little as six weeks, significantly faster than traditional vaccine development timelines that often take years.
While vaccine development remains a priority, experts warned that ensuring access to doses in outbreak zones will be an equally critical challenge.
During the 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak in Congo, around 300,000 doses of Ervebo were required to bring the epidemic under control.
Additional support is also flowing into the response effort. Global vaccine alliance Gavi recently pledged up to US$50 million towards Ebola response measures, while the Pandemic Fund announced grants worth up to US$220.6 million.
Health officials hope the combined investment will accelerate vaccine development and strengthen global preparedness before the outbreak spreads further across the region.
