US Starts Vaccine Effort for Ebola Bundibugyo as Outbreak Spreads

The U.S. is working on finding a vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola while sending an experimental treatment and preparing diagnostic tests to help contain the outbreak in Africa, the Department of Health and Human Services said on Friday.

The measures, led by the agency’s Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response unit through its Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority division, are intended to support response efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

Here are some details:

• The Bundibugyo strain currently has no approved vaccines or treatments, underscoring the need for experimental countermeasures.

• BARDA is seeking proposals for vaccine candidates based on the same platform used in Merck’s Ervebo, the first U.S.-approved Ebola vaccine, which targets the separate Zaire strain.

• Merck did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

• The initiative aims to identify vaccine candidates for potential preclinical and clinical evaluation during the current outbreak and longer-term preparedness, ASPR said, adding it is also coordinating with global partners, including the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

• On Wednesday, UNICEF and global vaccine group Gavi said they are seeking information from developers and manufacturers on plans for a vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.

• As part of the response, ASPR is also supporting the transfer of doses of MBP134, an experimental monoclonal antibody therapy developed with Mapp Biopharmaceutical, for compassionate use in the affected countries.

• It is providing MBP134 doses for a randomized clinical trial run by the University of Oxford to evaluate the drug.

• MBP134 has shown activity against multiple Ebola species in preclinical studies and completed an early-stage safety trial, ASPR said, adding that data from its use during the outbreak could inform future regulatory decisions.

• BARDA has pre-positioned 2,500 rapid diagnostic tests for potential deployment to Africa to help detect infections and guide public health responses.

(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid)

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