NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA / RankWire.AI / – Moderna has initiated an early-phase clinical trial of a vaccine targeting Bundibugyo ebolavirus amid a rising outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On August 3, a volunteer in Truro, Nova Scotia received the initial dose of the mRNA-1469 vaccine. This trial represents the first application of the vaccine in humans. The World Health Organization has classified the Congolese outbreak as an international public health emergency.
The Phase 1 trial plans to recruit approximately 80 healthy adults across three sites in Canada. The research will evaluate the vaccine’s safety profile, tolerability, and its capacity to induce an immune response. It is important to note that this study does not aim to establish the vaccine’s efficacy in preventing Ebola infection. Early-stage trials typically focus on safety and dosing parameters before proceeding to larger-scale testing. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations has pledged up to $50 million to aid in testing, manufacturing, and additional research doses.
WHO reported 3,605 confirmed cases and 1,587 deaths in DR Congo as of July 30. By that date, at least 651 individuals had recovered. Updated figures on August 4 indicated case counts exceeding 3,800 and deaths surpassing 1,700. Infectious cases had been identified across 49 health zones in five provinces, with Ituri remaining the epicenter, accounting for roughly 88% of confirmed infections.
Outbreak underscores the absence of an approved vaccine
The ongoing epidemic involves Bundibugyo ebolavirus, a distinct species within the Ebola virus family. Currently, there is no licensed vaccine or specific treatment targeting this particular strain. Existing authorized Ebola vaccines are directed against Zaire ebolavirus, which causes a different form of the disease. Historically, Bundibugyo ebolavirus has caused outbreaks in Uganda and DR Congo, with the country reporting 17 Ebola outbreaks since the virus was first identified in 1976.
Transmission occurs mainly through direct contact with infected blood, body fluids, organs, or contaminated materials. Public health teams are actively expanding testing, contact tracing, treatment, and infection control measures across the affected regions. By July 30, officials had listed 17,863 contacts for monitoring. WHO also documented 151 confirmed infections among health workers, including 44 fatalities. The complex situation has been worsened by armed conflict, displacement, and attacks on health facilities, hindering access to affected communities.
Additional vaccine efforts moving forward
Following Moderna’s trial, another Phase 1 study was launched by the University of Oxford in the UK. The initial dose of the Oxford vaccine was administered on July 24. This vaccine employs the ChAdOx1 platform, contrasting with Moderna’s messenger RNA technology. The Serum Institute of India has produced approximately 620,000 doses of the Oxford candidate and provided 4,000 investigational doses for research purposes.
Both programs receive backing from CEPI as part of a broader initiative to develop vaccines against Bundibugyo Ebola. The organization also supports two other candidates based on recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus technology, developed by IAVI with manufacturing led by Hilleman Laboratories, and one from Public Health Vaccines. None of these candidates have received approval for public use. WHO emphasizes that ongoing efforts in surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, patient care, safe burial practices, and community engagement are crucial components of the outbreak response.
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