Biotechnology company Moderna has partnered with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to accelerate the development of a vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a rare but deadly virus currently driving a major outbreak in Central Africa.
Under the agreement, CEPI will provide up to 50 million dollars to support preclinical research, early stage clinical testing, and manufacturing preparations for Moderna’s experimental vaccine. The goal is to shorten development timelines and ensure doses can be produced rapidly if trials show positive results.
The vaccine is being developed using Moderna’s mRNA technology platform, the same approach that helped the company produce one of the first widely used COVID 19 vaccines. The programme builds on Moderna’s broader research into filoviruses, a family of viruses that includes Ebola.
The move comes as health authorities race to contain a growing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with cases also reported in Uganda. The outbreak has already recorded hundreds of confirmed infections and deaths, prompting international concern and emergency health responses.
Unlike the more common Zaire strain of Ebola, the Bundibugyo variant currently has no approved vaccine or licensed treatment. That gap has increased pressure on governments, researchers, and global health organisations to accelerate development of new countermeasures.
CEPI is simultaneously supporting several other vaccine candidates. These include a vaccine being developed by researchers at University of Oxford and manufactured by Serum Institute of India, as well as another candidate from the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative.
Health experts say speed is critical because the Bundibugyo virus remains less studied than other Ebola strains. The World Health Organization recently recommended that promising vaccine and treatment candidates be prioritised for clinical trials during the outbreak to generate urgently needed data.
The partnership also reflects a broader effort by CEPI to develop vaccines against emerging infectious diseases within much shorter timelines. The organisation, which played a major role in funding vaccine development during the COVID 19 pandemic, has increasingly focused on rapid response strategies for future outbreaks.
If successful, the Moderna programme could become one of the first vaccine efforts specifically designed to protect against the Bundibugyo strain, potentially strengthening global preparedness against future Ebola outbreaks.
Stay ahead of the stories shaping our world. Subscribe to Impact Newswire for timely, curated insights on global tech, business, and innovation all in one place.
Dive deeper into the future with the Cause Effect 4.0 Podcast, where we explore the ideas, trends, and technologies driving the global AI conversation.
Got a story to share? Pitch it to us at info@impactnews-wire.com and reach the right audience worldwide
Emmanuel Abara Benson is a business journalist and editor covering artificial intelligence, global markets, and emerging technology.
He has previously worked with Business Insider Africa and Nairametrics, reporting on finance, startups, and innovation.
His work focuses on AI, digital economy, and global tech trends.
Discover more from Impact Newswire
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
