Moderna has begun testing an experimental vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus on humans. This strain has already claimed more than 1,650 lives, yet there is currently no officially approved vaccine against it. Health Canada has already approved the initial phase of the study, and according to the company, the first volunteers have already received the vaccine, designated mRNA-1469.
The experimental drug relies on the same mRNA technology that was used in Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. The clinical trial will take place at three different locations in Canada and will involve 80 healthy adults to evaluate the safety and immune response efficacy of the vaccine. This work is part of an expanded partnership with CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations), which allocated $50 million to support the initial testing and manufacturing of the vaccine.
The Bundibugyo strain is the main cause of the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is considered the second-largest Ebola epidemic in history. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of August 1, there are 3,748 confirmed cases and 1,657 deaths. CEPI representatives estimate that the number of cases is currently growing faster than during the largest outbreak recorded in West Africa in 2014–2016.
The World Health Organization and Africa CDC have declared the ongoing epidemic a public health emergency. If approved by regulatory authorities, Moderna plans, as part of its agreement with CEPI, to make at least 500,000 doses of the vaccine available to low- and middle-income countries at a special price.
