Singapore-based Hilleman Laboratories has announced plans to advance the development of a vaccine candidate targeting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to battle one of the deadliest outbreaks of the disease.
The Bundibugyo strain currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the ongoing outbreak has claimed nearly 1,500 lives, prompting intensified efforts to develop effective medical interventions.
WHO has identified a single-dose vaccine built on the recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) platform as the most promising candidate. The technology is the same platform used in Ervebo, the only licensed Ebola vaccine, which provides protection against the Zaire strain of the virus.
Hilleman Laboratories said it will move the rVSV Bundibugyo vaccine into the next stage of development to prepare it for human clinical trials. The organisation, a partnership between pharmaceutical company MSD and the Wellcome Trust, said the project is intended to speed up the availability of a vaccine against the emerging Ebola strain.
Chief Executive Officer of Hilleman Laboratories, Raman Rao, said the organisation is working to produce vaccine doses for clinical testing as quickly as possible. MSD, which developed and manufactures Ervebo, will provide technical support and expertise throughout the development process.
The programme is being funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which is supporting the Bundibugyo vaccine candidate alongside other Ebola vaccine research projects.
If the vaccine proves safe and effective during clinical trials and receives regulatory approval, CEPI and Hilleman Laboratories said they aim to ensure affordable and rapid distribution of doses to countries affected by Ebola outbreaks, particularly low- and middle-income nations.
Unlike the existing Ervebo vaccine, which requires ultra-cold storage, the new candidate is being designed to remain stable for several months under standard refrigeration. This could significantly improve vaccine storage, transportation and access in remote communities with limited cold-chain infrastructure.
WHO experts had earlier indicated that it could take between seven and nine months before the vaccine reaches the clinical trial evaluation stage.
The vaccine works by using a modified vesicular stomatitis virus as a carrier to deliver a Bundibugyo Ebola protein into the body, triggering an immune response capable of providing protection against the virus.
The announcement follows the recent administration of a separate Bundibugyo vaccine candidate, developed by Oxford University, to its first volunteer as part of an accelerated clinical trial.
Health authorities say the current Ebola outbreak in the DRC is the third-largest ever recorded. Since May, more than 3,300 infections and nearly 1,500 deaths have been confirmed, with the northeastern Ituri province remaining the epicentre of the outbreak. Uganda has also reported confirmed infections, including fatalities.
Ebola is a severe viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted through direct contact with infected individuals or contaminated bodily fluids, making rapid detection, isolation and vaccination essential in controlling outbreaks.