The World Health Organization announced on Tuesday that a full-scale human trial of the Ervebo vaccine will commence in the Democratic Republic of Congo within weeks. According to The Hindu, the trial aims to determine if Ervebo, which is currently approved for the more common Zaire strain of Ebola, provides cross-protection against the Bundibugyo strain. This development occurs as the DRC faces its most severe Ebola outbreak to date, with the case count surpassing 9,000 and deaths exceeding 4,000 at the start of the month, as reported by AllAfrica.

AllAfrica reported that two vaccines specifically targeting the Bundibugyo strain are currently in early stages of testing. One candidate is being developed by the University of Oxford in partnership with the Serum Institute of India, while the other is produced by the US-based company Moderna using messenger RNA technology. Emanuele Capobianco, director of global health security at Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, stated that phase one results for both candidates are expected later in October. These initial trials will provide data on safety and immune response, with potential phase two and three trials lasting several months if the results are positive.

Capobianco noted that Gavi has mobilized $50 million to support the response, including access to vaccines, allowing doses to be made available as soon as efficacy is proven. He explained that the global stockpile contains approximately 500,000 doses of Ervebo, of which 70,000 were released in August at the request of the Congolese government. A portion of these doses is being used in studies where healthcare workers are vaccinated to monitor whether protection against the Zaire strain extends to Bundibugyo. If Ervebo proves effective, it could be deployed rapidly from the existing stockpile.

In the interim, containment relies on infection prevention, surveillance, and early care, according to AllAfrica. Capobianco highlighted that seventy percent of deaths occur in communities before patients reach health facilities, necessitating efforts to bring health centers closer to populations. He emphasized that trusted community figures, such as religious leaders and teachers, play a vital role in building the trust required for vaccine administration. If successful, the new Bundibugyo vaccines could lead to a global stockpile for future epidemics, potentially rolling out in the first half of 2027.