WHO Prioritizes 2 Ebola Therapies for Bundibugyo Trials as No Approved Vaccine Exists
Updated
Updated · CNN · May 26
WHO Prioritizes 2 Ebola Therapies for Bundibugyo Trials as No Approved Vaccine Exists
6 articles · Updated · CNN · May 26
WHO scientists have put Regeneron’s antibody treatment and Mapp’s MBP134 at the front of planned clinical trials for the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo, while also assessing oral antiviral obeldesivir for high-risk contacts.
The push reflects a major gap: the outbreak is driven by the rarer Bundibugyo strain, and no approved vaccine or treatment is available for it. WHO says evidence that Merck’s Zaire-targeted Ervebo vaccine protects against Bundibugyo is too limited.
MBP134 has shown the strongest preclinical signal, protecting monkeys against Bundibugyo, Zaire and Sudan Ebola strains even at advanced illness stages. Regeneron said one antibody in its approved Inmazeb cocktail has activity against Bundibugyo and it is scaling up maftovimab production.
Vaccine options are further behind. WHO views an experimental Bundibugyo-targeted rVSV shot as the most promising candidate, but clinical-grade doses are likely 6 to 9 months away; an Oxford-Serum adenovirus vaccine could reach trials in 2 to 3 months with less supporting data.
The outbreak is already the DRC’s 17th since 1976 and its third-largest on record, underscoring what health experts describe as a recurring cycle of outbreak-driven urgency followed by neglected Ebola research.
Why is the world scrambling for a cure now for an Ebola strain known since 2007?
Can scientists outpace a new Ebola virus when conflict and mistrust are rampant?
2026 Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak: Diagnostic Gaps, Conflict Zones, and the Global Health Response
Overview
The 2026 Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak is a serious public health challenge, with the World Health Organization warning that cases are likely to rise. In response, efforts are focused on strengthening surveillance and laboratory capacity across affected and neighboring regions, including setting up dedicated response cells and improving community surveillance to detect undetected transmission. The outbreak is complicated by the Bundibugyo strain’s rarity, as there are no approved vaccines or treatments, so patient care depends on supportive measures and strict infection control. Ongoing armed conflict and large-scale population displacement in Ituri province further hinder effective outbreak response and containment.