Global Health Funders Fast-Track Three Ebola Vaccines as Outbreak Spreads in Africa

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is urgently accelerating development of three investigational vaccines targeting the Bundibugyo virus, the strain behind the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. CEPI CEO Dr. Richard Hatchett emphasized every day counts against this deadly disease.

CEPI announced funding for candidates from the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), Moderna, and the University of Oxford, with manufacturing at the Serum Institute of India (SII). The World Health Organization identified these as the most promising candidates.

Moderna's mRNA-based candidate-using technology validated during COVID-19-receives up to $50 million for preclinical testing and Phase 1 trials. Oxford and SII get $8.6 million, and IAVI gets $3.2 million. The outbreak has caused at least 282 confirmed cases and about 1,000 suspected cases in the DRC.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the investment an important step in collective response. Africa CDC's Dr. Jean Kaseya said it is critical to Africa's health and economic security. WHO emphasizes the immediate priority remains stopping transmission through surveillance, testing, and contact tracing.