"No Treatment or Vaccine, Yet 220 Dead Already... CEPI Steps Up After Emergency Declaration"

WHO Declares Public Health Emergency
CEPI, Moderna, and Oxford Begin Vaccine Development

A medical staff member is putting on personal protective equipment (PPE) before entering the red zone to care for patients at the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) supported Ebola treatment center in Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

As the Ebola virus spreads rapidly, particularly across Africa, the international community is ramping up its response efforts. With the World Health Organization (WHO) having declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), major global health organizations and leading biotechnology companies have officially begun developing vaccines.

According to several foreign media outlets on June 4, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has partnered with Moderna in the United States, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), and the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom to develop vaccine candidates targeting the Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV). CEPI plans to invest up to 62 million dollars (approximately 9.4 billion won) to support research, development, and initial clinical trials.

224 Deaths... The Third Largest Outbreak on Record

This outbreak began in April in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and has since spread to neighboring countries. According to the WHO, there have been over 918 suspected cases and 224 deaths so far. This is the third largest outbreak among filovirus infections to date.

The Ebola virus is transmitted through the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person and causes symptoms such as high fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. If symptoms worsen, it can lead to organ damage, bleeding, and shock, with fatality rates reaching up to 90% depending on the virus type.

Health workers are measuring the body temperature of local travelers and residents to check for Ebola infection. Photo by AFP Yonhap News Agency

In particular, the Bundibugyo ebolavirus responsible for this outbreak currently has no approved dedicated vaccine or treatment. The existing Zaire Ebola vaccine has only shown limited preventive effects, making it difficult to use as an alternative option.

CEPI Launches Emergency Development of Vaccine Candidates

In response, CEPI has adopted a strategy of developing vaccines based on different technological platforms simultaneously. This approach aims to increase the likelihood of success and shorten development timelines.

The largest portion of funding is being directed to Moderna. CEPI is providing up to 50 million dollars to support simultaneous non-clinical research, Phase 1 clinical trials, and manufacturing readiness. Moderna plans to accelerate development by utilizing its messenger RNA (mRNA) platform, which was proven effective in the development of its COVID-19 vaccine.

A member of a non-governmental organization (NGO) holds a leaflet containing Ebola prevention guidelines. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

IAVI will receive up to 3.2 million dollars in initial funding. The organization plans to develop a vaccine using the rVSV platform, which was used in the development of the Zaire Ebola vaccine and passed the WHO pre-qualification (PQ) assessment. This method is notable for inducing a rapid immune response even with a single dose.

The University of Oxford will also receive up to 8.6 million dollars to develop a candidate using the ChAdOx1 platform, which was utilized in the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

When Will the Vaccine Be Available? Experts Say "At Least Several Months"

However, vaccine development is expected to take some time. WHO experts report that it will take at least several months for a specialized vaccine to reach the actual clinical stage.

Most of the vaccine candidates are still in the early stages of research, and some have not yet completed animal testing. Local security instability and a lack of medical infrastructure may also pose challenges to conducting clinical trials.

Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, stated, "We believe Moderna's mRNA platform can play a crucial role in responding quickly to newly emerging infectious disease threats. Leveraging our experience developing filovirus vaccines and proven technology, we will pursue development with scientific rigor and speed, striving to deliver vaccines more rapidly to communities in need." Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, also said, "We will work to quickly advance these candidates into safe and effective vaccines to help contain the spread."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.