The Ebola vaccine race receives a $60 million boost.

Moderna, along with two international research teams, has just received over $60 million in funding to accelerate the development of a vaccine against Ebola Bundibugyo, the dangerous virus strain currently causing an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

As the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak continues to spread in eastern Congo, the global health community is accelerating its search for preventative solutions.

One of the most notable moves announced recently was the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) committing more than $60 million to accelerate the development of vaccine candidates against this deadly virus.

According to Reuters, the majority of the funding will go to Moderna, a company that rose to prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic thanks to its mRNA vaccine technology. CEPI has committed to investing up to $50 million to support preclinical research, early-stage clinical trials, manufacturing, and preparation for larger-scale trials if initial results are promising.

Moderna and two international research teams have just received over $60 million in funding to accelerate the development of a vaccine against the Ebola Bundibugyo strain. Photo: Reuters

Currently, there is no approved vaccine or treatment specifically for Ebola Bundibugyo. This is one of the most dangerous strains of Ebola ever recorded, with a high mortality rate and the potential to cause widespread outbreaks.

According to data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, Congo has recorded 282 confirmed cases, 42 deaths, and approximately 1,100 suspected cases. Uganda has also just reported nine new cases, including one death.

"Vaccine candidates could be ready to enter trials within the next few months," said CEPI CEO Richard Hatchett.

He believes the prospect of having a vaccine in the near future will pave the way for important discussions about procurement, funding, and rollout once the vaccine is licensed.

However, he also warned that the vaccine development process is always fraught with uncertainties, while the complex security situation in eastern Congo could complicate clinical trials.

For Moderna, this project represents a new expansion of mRNA technology into the field of dangerous infectious diseases. Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said that preclinical studies on the Ebola virus have yielded very positive results.

"The company's goal is to develop a vaccine that can effectively prevent the disease while simplifying the vaccination strategy for easier deployment in areas with limited healthcare infrastructure," he said.

"We want to act as quickly as possible while still ensuring quality and safety standards are met," Stephane Bancel emphasized.

He said that phase one trials would help determine whether the vaccine would require one or two doses before moving on to larger-scale studies in Africa.

In addition to Moderna, CEPI has invested $8.6 million in a vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and produced by the Serum Institute of India. This technology is based on the same platform as the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine used during the Covid-19 pandemic. An initial investment of $3.2 million has also been allocated to a vaccine candidate developed by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI).

IAVI CEO Mark Feinberg said the organization's vaccine candidate uses similar technology to Ervebo, the first Ebola vaccine approved for the Zaire strain.

Animal studies have shown positive signs regarding the potential for protection and improved survival rates. However, he acknowledged that organizing future clinical trials remains a major challenge, requiring tens of millions of dollars in funding.

Besides CEPI, many other international organizations are also increasing their support for the response to the epidemic. The global vaccine alliance Gavi has just committed up to $50 million, while the World Bank's Pandemic Fund announced a funding package of up to $220.6 million. These investments reflect the increasingly strong efforts of the international community to prevent the risk of Ebola spreading beyond Central Africa.

With the WHO and other international health organizations declaring the current outbreak a public health emergency, the vaccine race is becoming the most important line of defense. If successful, research programs funded today could give the world its first effective tool to combat Ebola Bundibugyo in the future.

According to Reuters

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/cuoc-dua-vac-xin-ebola-nhan-cu-hich-60-trieu-usd-1026601.html