WHO recommends two Bundibugyo vaccine candidates for trial

The World Health Organization’s independent vaccine advisory group recommended two Bundibugyo-specific candidates for evaluation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s ongoing Tumaini trial, subject to national regulatory approvals. Vaccine results are expected in early 2027, and the recommendation is not evidence that either candidate is effective. The candidates are ChAdOx1 BDBV, developed by the University of Oxford with the Serum Institute of India, and mRNA-1469, developed by Moderna. The WHO recommendation followed a review of available preclinical and early clinical evidence. The candidates are expected to enter the trial only after the required national approvals. Tumaini is designed to assess multiple vaccine candidates in one study. It uses ring vaccination, offering vaccination to people who have had contact with confirmed cases. The trial is led by the DRC’s Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, with support from WHO and other partners. WHO said four vaccination rings had been established and several more were being prepared. The recommendation comes during a Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak declared in the DRC in May 2026. Africa CDC reported 10,444...