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Ebola outbreak fuels urgent vaccine race
Scientists are racing to develop three new vaccines targeting the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has already claimed nearly 250 lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo and spread to Uganda.
Worst outbreak feared
The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) warned the current outbreak could surpass the devastating 2014-16 West Africa epidemic, which infected 29,000 and killed over 11,000. With over 1,000 suspected cases reported, health officials describe the situation as "deeply alarming."
"This is clearly threatening to be as severe an outbreak as that, if not even worse," said Dr. Mark Feinberg, IAVI's president.
Dr. Mark Feinberg, IAVI
Vaccine development efforts
Unlike the more common Zaire strain, which has an approved vaccine, Bundibugyo has no licensed countermeasures. Three separate teams are now working on solutions:
- IAVI: Modifying an existing Zaire vaccine for Bundibugyo, showing near-total protection in monkey trials. Clinical readiness expected in 7-9 months.
- Moderna: Using mRNA technology (similar to its COVID-19 vaccine) to target the Bundibugyo glycoprotein. The company pledged to "move with urgency."
- University of Oxford: Developing a vaccine using its COVID-19-tested platform, aiming for clinical trials within 2-3 months.
How the vaccines work
All three vaccines train the immune system to recognize the Bundibugyo glycoprotein, a protein on the virus's surface. However, they use different methods:
- IAVI: Uses a harmless, engineered virus to deliver the glycoprotein.
- Moderna/Oxford: Employ genetic code snippets to instruct cells to produce the glycoprotein.
These approaches could differ in protection levels or required doses, pending human trials.
Funding and urgency
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is funding all three projects. CEO Dr. Richard Hatchett emphasized the stakes: "Every day counts in the race against this deadly disease."
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted a Bundibugyo vaccine could "control this epidemic and strengthen preparedness for future outbreaks."
Outbreak challenges
The virus was detected late, spreading undetected in a conflict zone with limited healthcare access. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported record case numbers for this stage of an outbreak, heightening concerns about further spread.
