CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts: Moderna has launched its first human clinical trial of an experimental vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, a rare but deadly strain of Ebola that currently has no approved vaccine despite causing more than 1,650 deaths worldwide.
The biotechnology company announced on Tuesday that Health Canada has authorized the Phase 1 clinical trial, with the first participants already receiving the experimental vaccine, mRNA-1469. The vaccine is based on the same mRNA technology used in Moderna’s widely deployed COVID-19 vaccine.
The early-stage trial will be conducted at three research centres across Canada and is expected to enroll around 80 healthy adult volunteers. Researchers will assess the vaccine’s safety while evaluating its ability to stimulate a protective immune response against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.
The vaccine development is being supported through an expanded collaboration with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which has pledged up to $50 million to fund the vaccine’s clinical testing and manufacturing.
The trial comes at a critical time as the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak continues to spread across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the outbreak has resulted in 3,748 confirmed infections and 1,657 confirmed deaths as of August 1, making it the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded.
Health experts say the virus is spreading more rapidly than during the devastating 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola epidemic, highlighting the urgent need for new vaccines capable of preventing future infections.
CEPI Chief Executive Richard Hatchett said the accelerating outbreak demonstrates the importance of developing vaccines for Ebola strains that currently lack licensed protection.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have both declared the ongoing outbreak a public health emergency, prompting global efforts to strengthen disease surveillance, treatment, and vaccine development.
Moderna said that if the vaccine successfully completes clinical trials and secures regulatory approval, the company plans to supply at least 500,000 doses to low- and middle-income countries at affordable prices under its agreement with CEPI.
The company believes the project represents another important step in expanding the use of mRNA technology to combat emerging infectious diseases and improve global preparedness for future epidemics.
