WHO Prioritizes Three Experimental Drugs to Combat Rare Ebola Strain

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended prioritizing three experimental treatments to target the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, Reuters reports.

The list of promising candidates includes developments from Mapp Biopharmaceutical and Regeneron, alongside the antiviral drug Remdesivir manufactured by Gilead Sciences. The global organization emphasized that these therapeutics, along with potential vaccines, must undergo mandatory clinical trials to verify their efficacy.

Among the vaccines under evaluation, a single-dose shot named rVSV Bundibugyo—developed under the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative - has been recognized as the most viable candidate. However experts project that this specific vaccine is unlikely to be ready for clinical trials within the next nine months.

Concurrently a team of Chinese scientists is developing a broad-spectrum mRNA vaccine designed to protect against the most lethal variants of the Ebola virus, including the Bundibugyo strain. Nevertheless, this project remains in its early stages of research.

In mid-May, the WHO declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern.

According to reference data, the Bundibugyo virus was first identified in 2007. It occurs significantly less frequently than the more widely known Zaire ebolavirus strain; however, it remains poorly understood and is associated with high mortality rates. Currently, there is no approved cure, and medical intervention is limited to supportive care and symptom management.

As a reminder, the Ebola virus is not transmitted through airborne droplets. Infection occurs exclusively through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. The risk of transmission escalates sharply if healthcare personnel or caregivers fail to utilize adequate protective measures.