As the Ebola virus spreads rapidly, centered in Africa, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), global health bodies, biotech companies, and research institutions have launched an emergency vaccine development effort.
According to Reuters and other foreign media on the 2nd (local time), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), an international health organization, said it will work with U.S.-based Moderna, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), and the University of Oxford to develop vaccine candidates targeting Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV).
CEPI plans to invest up to $62 million (about 94.2 billion won) to support vaccine research and development and early clinical trials.
The Ebola virus has spread rapidly across Africa since it emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in April. According to the WHO, there have been 918 suspected cases and 224 deaths to date.
The WHO assessed this outbreak as the third-largest filovirus epidemic on record. Filoviruses are a family of viruses that cause hemorrhagic fever symptoms similar to those of the Ebola virus. Recently, suspected cases have been reported outside Africa, heightening international concern.
The Ebola virus spreads through an infected person's blood or bodily fluids and causes high fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. As symptoms worsen, it can lead to organ damage, bleeding, and shock, and depending on the virus type, the fatality rate ranges from 25% to 90%.
In particular, there is still no authorized or commercialized dedicated vaccine worldwide for Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV), which caused this outbreak. In response, CEPI's strategy is to simultaneously develop three investigational vaccines using different technology platforms to improve the chances of success.
Moderna will receive the largest share of support. CEPI will invest up to $50 million (about 75.7 billion won) in Moderna's vaccine development. The funds will be used for nonclinical research, a phase 1 clinical trial, and vaccine manufacturing.
Moderna will use its messenger RNA (mRNA) platform, validated by its COVID-19 vaccine. It plans to produce investigational vaccines in parallel with clinical trials and move directly into large-scale phase 2/3 trials once safety is confirmed.
IAVI will receive up to $3.2 million (about 4.8 billion won) in seed funding. IAVI plans to develop a vaccine based on the rVSV platform, which was used to develop a Zaire ebolavirus vaccine and received WHO prequalification (PQ). The platform is considered highly useful in outbreaks because a single dose can establish protective immunity relatively quickly.
The University of Oxford will receive up to $8.6 million (about 13.0 billion won) in seed funding. Oxford will use the ChAdOx1 platform applied to the United Kingdom's AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to conduct preclinical research and prepare for a phase 1 trial.
Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, said, "With no authorized vaccine, every day counts in the fight against this deadly disease," and added, "Through emergency support, we will advance the candidates into safe and effective vaccines to curb the pandemic."
Stéphane Bancel, Moderna's chief executive officer (CEO), said, "The mRNA platform is a key technology that can respond quickly to emerging infectious disease threats," and added, "Based on our experience with filovirus vaccine development and proven capabilities, we will work to supply vaccines more quickly to communities in need."