Ebola Vaccine Clinical Trial Begins in Democratic Republic of Congo

The World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated a clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine in response to the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The trial, known as the Tumaini trial, is being conducted in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, which is currently the epicentre of the outbreak.

According to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director-general, participants in the trial received the Ervebo vaccine, a vaccine approved for use against the Zaire strain of Ebola. The trial aims to assess whether the Ervebo vaccine provides cross-protection against the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, which is responsible for the current epidemic.

The DRC declared its 17th and worst-ever Ebola outbreak in May, resulting in over 9,700 cases and more than 4,600 deaths. The WHO has triggered a public health emergency of international concern, its second-highest alert level, in response to the outbreak. The trial will use a ring vaccination approach, immunizing contacts deemed at high risk of infection.

The Tumaini trial is a single trial framework that can test the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of multiple vaccines. Two Bundibugyo-specific candidate vaccines are being tested: one developed by the University of Oxford using an adenoviral vector jab, and another developed by Moderna using mRNA technology. Both vaccines have received funding from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

The trial will include pregnant women and children aged 12 years and older, generating evidence for populations often excluded from clinical trials. The WHO’s emergencies director, Chikwe Ihekweazu, stated that the trial aims to generate rigorous evidence on whether participating vaccines can protect people at risk.

Source: Al Jazeera