Efforts are in motion to expedite the development of at least three vaccines as the Democratic Republic of Congo faces an Ebola outbreak with no approved vaccines available for the specific strain. However, even with financial support, it will likely take months before clinical trials for vaccines targeting the Bundibugyo ebolavirus commence.
On Monday, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) announced it is allocating approximately $62 million to three organizations to aid in the production and testing of Bundibugyo vaccines. The only presently licensed Ebola vaccine, Merck’s Ervebo, is designed for the Zaire ebolavirus.
The Bundibugyo virus has seldom triggered outbreaks, with only two past epidemics recorded in 2007 and 2012. Its rarity has led to delayed efforts in developing vaccines and treatments compared to other filoviruses like Sudan ebolavirus or Marburg, which cause diseases similar to Ebola.
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