In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), scientists have launched clinical trials of new drugs at unprecedented speed to combat the Ebola epidemic. Just six weeks after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a state of emergency, the first patients were already enrolled in the study at the epicenter of the outbreak in Ituri Province.<\/p>\n
There is currently no approved vaccine or official therapeutic drug against the active, so-called “Bundibugyo” strain. According to the latest data, the virus has already infected 1,792 people and claimed 625 lives. Efforts to fight the epidemic are complicated by local mistrust of medical personnel and protests by healthcare workers over delayed salaries and extremely hazardous working conditions\u2014with physical attacks on doctors and burial teams already being reported.<\/p>\n
Amidst this severe crisis, primary hope is pinned on two experimental drugs: the antiviral medication Remdesivir and an innovative antibody (MBP134). Animal testing has shown that both drugs work effectively against the virus. Now, researchers aim to determine how much these medications can reduce mortality rates in humans. Patients of any age can enroll in the study, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, who are often excluded from such trials for safety reasons.<\/p>\n
Scientists note that launching clinical trials in such record time is a monumental achievement. By comparison, during the 2014\u20132016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, it took more than a year to initiate similar studies. According to experts, if the new medications prove effective, they will motivate infected individuals to seek treatment, which in turn will restore public trust in medical professionals.<\/p>\n