Health · Public Health & Disease · 1 hr ago
WHO vaccine trial for Ebola in Congo set to begin before October ends
The WHO says the Tumaini Ebola vaccine trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo should start before October ends.
The country is facing its 17th Ebola outbreak, which has caused more than 9,000 cases and 4,000 deaths.
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no vaccine or treatment is approved.
The trial will first test Ervebo, a vaccine approved for a different Ebola strain, the Zaire strain.
Researchers hope to add vaccines being developed by Oxford and Moderna if early trial results support moving forward.
The trial matters because it is intended to produce evidence about vaccine options for the outbreak.
The WHO says the next steps depend on the candidates’ early safety and immune-response results.
The WHO says the Tumaini Ebola vaccine trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is expected to begin before the end of October.
The trial will initially use Ervebo, a vaccine approved against the Zaire strain, although the current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain.
The outbreak has exceeded 9,000 cases and 4,000 deaths, according to reports citing Congolese health authorities.
The WHO plans to consider adding the ChAdOx1 and Moderna vaccine candidates if their phase 1 trials produce positive results.
One report says a phase 2 and 3 trial is hoped to begin by the end of the year, while two others say the Tumaini trial is expected to start before October ends.
- Who
- The World Health Organization is leading the Tumaini clinical trial.
- What
- The trial will initially test Ervebo against the current Ebola outbreak. ChAdOx1 and Moderna candidates may be added later, subject to phase 1 results.
- When
- It is expected to begin before the end of October 2026. Another report says a phase 2 and 3 trial is hoped to start by year-end.
- Where
- Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Why
- To generate evidence on vaccines and strengthen the health response to the outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
MSF began a separate observational study of vaccination among 20,000 frontline workers in Ituri and North Kivu.
Demócrata reported that WHO experts had stressed the need for more evidence on vaccines targeting the Bundibugyo virus.
The WHO expected the Tumaini trial to begin, initially using Ervebo.
Kate O’Brien said the WHO hoped a phase 2 and 3 clinical trial would begin by year-end, according to Demócrata.
- Trial name
- Tumaini
- Initial vaccine
- Ervebo
- Outbreak strain
- Bundibugyo
- Reported cases
- More than 9,000
- Reported deaths
- More than 4,000
- Potential later candidates
- ChAdOx1 and Moderna
4 sources
DR Congo Ebola vaccine trial to begin within weeks: WHO
Ebola : l’essai clinique d’un nouveau vaccin programmé fin octobre
Épidémie d’Ebola en République démocratique du Congo : un essai clinique de vaccin avant la fin du mois, selon l’OMS
L'OMS réclame plus de données sur les vaccins contre le virus Bundibugyo responsable de l'ébola en RDC
What people are saying
The trial is about to begin.
Many stakeholders have worked tirelessly to launch it, and it should start before the end of the month.
There are two in development right now and both are progressing rapidly through clinical development.
Doses of the ChAdOx1 vaccine are available and ready to be used in a larger clinical trial.