DR Congo launches Ebola vaccine trial targeting Bundibugyo strain
publishers 18articles 20first reported 23 Oct, 09:47 UTCdeveloping since 23 Oct · 8 editions
The Democratic Republic of Congo has begun a clinical trial of vaccines against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which is driving an outbreak that began in May. The first participants were vaccinated Friday in Bunia, the capital of northeastern Ituri province and the outbreak’s epicentre.
The DRC-led Tumaini trial will evaluate the safety, immune response and effectiveness of multiple vaccines using a ring-vaccination strategy focused on contacts of confirmed cases and others at high risk. It will include pregnant women and children aged 12 and older.
The first vaccine being tested is Merck’s Ervebo, which is approved against the Zaire Ebola strain. Researchers will assess whether it also provides protection against Bundibugyo Ebola, for which no vaccine is currently approved. Bundibugyo-specific candidates developed by Moderna and by the University of Oxford with the Serum Institute of India are expected to enter the trial after advancing through earlier-stage studies.
The World Health Organization is supporting the trial alongside international partners. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it would help determine whether any of the vaccine candidates work against the Bundibugyo virus.
WHO figures cited by the South China Morning Post recorded 9,704 confirmed cases and 4,687 deaths in Congo as of October 20. Infections linked to the outbreak have also been reported beyond the country’s borders. Starting the trial does not establish that any of the vaccines is effective against the strain.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 3 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 42 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- Given to the writer
- 8, 3 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 42 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
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