Non-Profit Organisations Intensify Efforts to Develop Ebola Vaccine
Several non-profit organisations have announced that they are increasing their efforts to rapidly develop a vaccine for the rare strain of Ebola causing a deadly outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This initiative comes as the situation continues to escalate, with significant concerns about the spread of the virus.
The Current Situation
As of now, nearly 250 people are suspected to have died and over 1,100 infected with this particular strain in the DRC and neighboring Uganda. However, the true extent of the outbreak is believed to be much larger, making it a critical public health concern.
This outbreak marks the 17th time the DRC has faced an Ebola crisis, but it is only the third instance involving the Bundibugyo strain. Notably, there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for this specific strain.
Race to Develop a Vaccine
The urgency of the situation has led to a race to find a vaccine that can be quickly developed, manufactured, and tested in humans during clinical trials in the affected region. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently identified the most promising candidate vaccine as a single-dose shot using the rVSV platform. This platform is also used by the only licensed Ebola vaccine, which targets the more common Zaire strain.
Key Players in Vaccine Development
The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) has partnered with the University of Texas Medical Branch to develop the rVSV candidate. Thomas Geisbert, a virologist from the university, played a key role in developing both the Bundibugyo candidate and the licensed Zaire jab. He mentioned that research from 2013 showed his jab provided strong protection against Bundibugyo in monkeys. However, the vaccine remained unused for over a decade due to a lack of interest from pharmaceutical firms.
The WHO estimates that it will take between seven to nine months before the rVSV vaccine is ready for human testing.
Fast-Track Funding and Partnerships
On Monday, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) announced funding to “fast-track” the development of three Bundibugyo vaccine candidates, including $3.2 million towards the rVSV jab. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised this move as an important step forward after visiting the epicenter of the outbreak in the DRC.
Another vaccine candidate receiving CEPI funding was developed using the University of Oxford’s ChAdOx1 platform, which was also used for AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine. This viral vector jab, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, could enter clinical trials within two to three months, according to the WHO.
CEPI also pledged $50 million to a vaccine candidate being developed by Moderna, which uses mRNA technology similar to its Covid vaccine.
Additional Funding and Support
In a preprint paper published online last week, researchers at France’s INSERM institute suggested trials to determine if the licensed Zaire vaccine could also help combat the Bundibugyo strain.
The Gavi vaccine alliance announced on Monday that it would provide up to $50 million for Bundibugyo vaccine efforts. Gavi CEO Sania Nishtar emphasized the need to ensure manufacturers can start producing doses at scale once a vaccine candidate is ready.
IAVI president Mark Feinberg noted that Gavi’s commitment could fund the production of approximately 500,000 doses. He also highlighted that this funding sends a signal to manufacturers that they can make investments without excessive risk.
Challenges Ahead
Even once doses for a trial are ready, deploying them in the vast, remote areas of the DRC will pose significant challenges. These regions are already grappling with issues such as hunger, malaria, and conflict. Gaining the trust of communities where vaccines will be trialled is crucial, as emphasized by the WHO.
Moreover, there is no guarantee that a trial will demonstrate the vaccine’s effectiveness. CEPI CEO Richard Hatchett stated that while there are reasons to believe effective vaccines can be developed, they must be treated as investigational products.
Trials of Treatments
In addition to vaccine efforts, several initiatives are underway to quickly trial treatments for the Bundibugyo strain. These include antivirals like remdesivir and obeldesivir, as well as the monoclonal antibody MBP134.
