Updated · University of Minnesota Twin Cities · Jul 23
Existing Ebola Vaccines Show Bundibugyo Immunity as DRC Outbreak Tops 1,000 Deaths
Updated
Updated · University of Minnesota Twin Cities · Jul 23
Existing Ebola Vaccines Show Bundibugyo Immunity as DRC Outbreak Tops 1,000 Deaths
3 articles · Updated · University of Minnesota Twin Cities · Jul 23
Summary
Serum from 179 vaccinated adults and children showed existing Zaire Ebola vaccines triggered cross-reactive antibodies against Bundibugyo, according to a New England Journal of Medicine study.
Three months after vaccination, Merck's single-dose Ervebo produced antibody responses about eight times lower for Bundibugyo than for Zaire, while J&J's two-dose regimen showed a sixfold gap.
Researchers said the findings do not prove protection, but called Ervebo—already held in the global Ebola vaccine stockpile—an immediately deployable candidate for evaluation in the DRC outbreak.
More than 1,000 people have died since February in what is described as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record, while Oxford launched a phase 1 trial this month for a Bundibugyo-specific vaccine.
Boghuma Titanji said the data should push WHO to revisit using Zaire vaccine stockpiles, arguing the outbreak leaves little room to wait for perfect evidence.