Moderna and other groups get $60 million to develop Ebola vaccine

Key Points:

• CEPI is allocating approximately $60 million to Moderna, the University of Oxford/Serum Institute, and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative to accelerate development of vaccines against the Ebola Bundibugyo virus, which is causing an outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Moderna is receiving up to $50 million to support preclinical and early clinical development of its Ebola Bundibugyo vaccine candidate, with plans to move quickly into trials while ensuring safety; the dosing regimen is still to be determined.
• Oxford's ChAdOx1 Bundibugyo vaccine and IAVI’s single-dose candidate, based on proven technologies, are also receiving funding, though clinical trial organization remains uncertain amid complex security challenges in the region.
• The outbreak has resulted in 282 confirmed cases and 42 deaths in Congo, with additional cases in Uganda; global health agencies have declared it a public health emergency, prompting significant funding commitments from Gavi and the World Bank.
• CEPI emphasizes that beyond vaccine development, ensuring access and distribution in affected areas will be critical, citing the need for hundreds of thousands of doses to control previous Ebola outbreaks in similar regions.