WHO: Launch of Trial to Evaluate Ebola Vaccines in the Democratic Republic of Congo
A clinical trial to evaluate Bundibugyo Ebola vaccines has been launched in the DRC, led by the National Institute of Biomedical Research.
Translated by Qiyas from كونا — Original source
Geneva -- The World Health Organization announced on Tuesday the launch of a clinical trial to evaluate vaccines against the Bundibugyo subtype of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the aim of determining their effectiveness in preventing infection and limiting virus transmission. This announcement came during a press conference in Geneva, at which Dr. Meg Doherty, WHO’s technical lead for vaccine trials, spoke via video link from Bunia, the capital of the Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Dr. Doherty said the trial, which began a few days ago, is led by the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and managed by the National Institute of Biomedical Research in collaboration with local and international researchers. She explained that the trial allows for the evaluation of one or multiple vaccines within a unified research framework, employing a ring vaccination approach that targets individuals in contact with confirmed cases, thereby helping to assess the vaccines’ ability to prevent infection.
She added that Ervebo is the first vaccine to be evaluated in the trial, as it is available in the country. While its efficacy against the Zaire subtype of the Ebola virus has been proven, its ability to prevent infection with the Bundibugyo subtype remains unknown.
Dr. Doherty noted that WHO technical advisory groups have reviewed scientific evidence related to two vaccines under development, particularly for confronting Bundibugyo: the ChAdOx1 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford in collaboration with the Serum Institute of India, and the Moderna vaccine. Recommendations on these vaccines will be issued once the review of available data is completed.
Dr. Doherty emphasized the need to distinguish between a vaccine’s efficacy in preventing infection and its impact on reducing disease severity and deaths. She clarified that the trial primarily focuses on evaluating the vaccines’ ability to prevent new infections and limit transmission, while other studies are examining the impact of Ervebo on disease severity and mortality.
She confirmed that obtaining reliable results could take several months, noting that the expected scientific data will help relevant authorities make decisions on which vaccines can be used to address the outbreak. Dr. Doherty stressed that launching the trial represents an important step toward providing the scientific evidence needed to support health decisions and strengthen efforts to protect populations from the disease during the current outbreak and future ones. (End) A.M.K. / M.A.A.
