The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday that the first clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine is expected to begin in the Democratic Republic of Congo by the end of October.
The current Ebola outbreak in the country is the most severe in history, exceeding 9,000 cases and recording over 4,000 deaths. This outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment.
The trial, named Tumaini, will aim to assess whether the Ervebo vaccine, approved for the more common Zaire strain, provides protection against the Bundibugyo strain. Two candidate vaccines targeting this strain, developed by Oxford University and Moderna, are also planned to be included.
Anthony Scott, chairman of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, noted that this trial will provide urgently needed information for vaccination policy decisions.
However, the WHO indicated that controlling the outbreak is complicated by ongoing instability and population displacement, which limits access to healthcare, disrupts surveillance systems, and slows down scientific research.
In parallel, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) is conducting a separate study involving frontline healthcare workers to collect data on the effectiveness of Ervebo against the Bundibugyo strain.