en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) announced emergency funding for three investigational vaccines targeting the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, the strain driving an expanding outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring Uganda.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have each declared the outbreak the highest-level public health emergency—a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), respectively.

The current outbreak has reported over 900 suspected cases and more than 220 suspected deaths, making it the third-largest filovirus outbreak on record.

Unlike the Zaire ebolavirus, for which vaccines are approved, the Bundibugyo ebolavirus currently has no approved vaccine, nor any vaccine candidates in clinical development. CEPI is taking urgent action to fill this gap.

CEPI's investment covers three distinct vaccine technology platforms, selected after comprehensive evaluation with WHO, Africa CDC, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and affected countries. Each platform has existing safety data for related filoviruses, including Zaire ebolavirus, Sudan virus, and Marburg virus.

The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) has received up to $3.2 million to generate a Master Virus Seed stock and initiate testing using the rVSV platform—the same technology as the approved, WHO-prequalified Zaire ebolavirus vaccine. This platform provides rapid protective immunity with a single dose, making it suitable for outbreak deployment.

Moderna has received the largest investment, up to $50 million, for preclinical studies and a Phase I clinical trial. CEPI stated it will simultaneously fund large-scale production of vaccine doses to enable immediate initiation of Phase II/III trials if early data supports it. The candidate is based on Moderna's existing mRNA research on related ebolaviruses and the same platform globally validated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India (SII) have received up to $8.6 million to advance a candidate based on Oxford's ChAdOx1 adenovirus vector platform, which supported the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Funding will cover preclinical work, Master Virus Seed stock creation, and production of clinical-grade doses at SII under existing agreements between CEPI and SII.

Dr Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, stated that the Bundibugyo virus is spreading rapidly with no approved vaccine, and every day counts in the race against this deadly disease. CEPI is urgently funding and supporting these three vaccine candidates to advance safe and effective vaccines to control the outbreak.

Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, added that Moderna believes its mRNA platform can play a significant role in rapidly responding to emerging infectious disease threats and is proud to expand its strategic partnership with CEPI, leveraging proven technology and experience with related filoviruses to advance a potential vaccine against the Bundibugyo ebolavirus.

CEPI has also issued a public Call for Proposals to identify additional promising vaccine candidates and expects to announce further partnerships soon.

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