WHO Recommends Testing of 'Ervebo' Ebola Vaccine

The World Health Organization’s Technical Advisory Group on Ebola Virus Disease recommended prioritizing the Ervebo vaccine, the only licensed vaccine against the Zaire ebolavirus, for inclusion in a randomized clinical trial as part of the response to the Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The organization noted that preliminary data from animal studies showed the vaccine’s ability to provide cross-protection, although its efficacy against the Bundibugyo strain still needs to be demonstrated.

It affirmed that using the vaccine to immunize contacts of infected individuals does not raise safety concerns, while noting that developing a vaccine specifically targeting the Bundibugyo strain remains the preferred long-term option.