In brief
The World Health Organization has begun a clinical trial of two potential therapies for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With 1,406 confirmed cases and 438 deaths, the outbreak has outstripped previous global benchmarks and was declared a public health emergency. Although no approved treatments exist, early reports suggest encouraging recovery rates, underscoring the urgency of expanding therapeutic options. The trial, coordinated by Belgian, U.K. and Congolese research institutes, follows a partnership in vaccine and vaccine‑based research to fight the disease’s high infectivity. As the outbreak continues to spread to neighboring Uganda and beyond, the trial’s results could prove pivotal for future outbreak response strategies.
A clinical trial of two potential therapies for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola has begun in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Thursday. The first patient was enrolled in the DRC, marking a significant step in the race to identify safe and effective treatments for the highly infectious virus.
Over the past months, the outbreak has dominated media attention with more than 1,400 confirmed cases and 438 deaths reported for the DRC alone. Uganda has recorded 20 confirmed cases with two fatalities, and the virus has even been identified in a patient in France.
The Bundibugyo strain remains one of the more elusive Ebola viruses, lacking approved vaccines or treatments. Scientists at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale in DRC, the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Belgium and the University of Oxford in the UK are co‑ordinating the investigation through a partnership that also supports vaccine research.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "The clinical trial of two therapeutics began, with the enrolment of the first patient. Even without approved therapeutics, people are recovering from this disease, but of course, we could save many more lives with safe and effective therapeutics in our toolkit."
This development comes on the heels of a broader effort to develop vaccines for the six known Ebola species. While most outbreaks are linked to the Sudan and Zaire strains, the Bundibugyo variant has challenged researchers with limited cross‑reactivity and a steep learning curve for treatment protocols.
The DRC’s current outbreak began in May and is the most severe public health emergency since the 2014 West African Ebola crisis. WHO’s Emergency Committee has urged rapid coordination of regional resources, emergency response teams, and new pharmaceutical interventions as the fight for containment continues.
