CEPI funds $4.17M to test Ebola vaccines against Bundibugyo virus

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has committed $4.17 million to fund four research projects investigating whether existing Ebola vaccines can provide immunity against the Bundibugyo virus. The studies will analyze stored blood samples from thousands of individuals previously vaccinated against the Zaire ebolavirus, including those who received the Ervebo vaccine.

This initiative is a response to the escalating outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a public health emergency of international concern. Because there is currently no licensed vaccine specifically for the Bundibugyo strain, researchers are looking to see if existing tools can be repurposed. The studies aim to establish standardized antibody tests, assess the durability of immune responses, and support future clinical trials.

CEPI Chief Executive Officer Dr. Richard Hatchett noted that while Bundibugyo-specific vaccine candidates are under development, they will not be available during the earliest phases of the outbreak. The research, which includes a $2.05 million allocation to the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, is intended to inform the emergency use of the Ervebo vaccine against the Bundibugyo virus.