Moderna, the American based biotech and pharma company partnered with Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to develop a potential vaccine against the Bundibugyo ebola virus linked to the outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations was one of the early investors that helped to develop a vaccine at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CEPI has promised up to $50 million through its First Respond Fund to support preclinical development and early clinical testing of the vaccine. Earlier, the organization had pledged to invest up to $8.6 million for a shot developed by the University of Oxford and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, and an initial $3.2 million for a vaccine developed by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative.
According to Richard Hatchett, head of CEPI, it was possible to get vaccines against Ebola Bundibugyo ready for trials within a couple of months. He also said the promise of vaccines on “a not infinitely distant horizon” should help to start conversations about who would buy it and fund any roll-out. But he cautioned vaccine development can be unpredictable and the challenging security situation in eastern Congo would make trials complex.
Separately, global vaccine alliance Gavi on Friday committed up to $50 million to the Ebola response, and the World Bank’s Pandemic Fund announced up to $220.6 million in grants.
Currently, there are no approved vaccines for the rare strain of the virus.
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