Moderna Starts 1st Human Trial of Vaccine As Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak Grows in DRC

Moderna has begun a Phase 1 clinical trial of an experimental vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which is driving the ongoing outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The first participants have already been vaccinated in Canada with the candidate vaccine, mRNA-1469, marking the first human study of the shot. The vaccine uses the same mRNA platform that Moderna deployed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The early-stage trial, cleared by Health Canada, will enroll about 80 healthy adults across three sites in Canada to evaluate the vaccine's safety, tolerability and immune response, Reuters reported. If the results are positive, the program could advance to Phase 2 and Phase 3 studies. Any approval and subsequent rollout, however, would still be months, if not years, away. DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Becomes Country’s Largest Ever, WHO Warns of Rapid Spread.

Trial Targets Ebola Strain Without Approved Vaccine

There are currently no Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccines to treat the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which is responsible for the current outbreak in the eastern DRC.

According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, the outbreak had reached 3,748 confirmed cases and 1,657 confirmed deaths as of August 1, making it the world's second-largest Ebola outbreak on record. The World Health Organisation and Africa CDC have both declared the outbreak a public health emergency. Congo Ebola Outbreak Kills 930, No Approved Vaccine as Crisis Escalates.

CEPI Partnership Supports Development

The Phase 1 study is being conducted under Moderna's expanded collaboration with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). CEPI has committed up to USD 50 million to support preclinical testing, early-stage clinical development and manufacturing of the vaccine candidate.

If the vaccine is eventually approved, Moderna said it plans to make at least 500,000 doses available to low- and middle-income countries at access pricing under its agreement with CEPI.

Company and CEPI Highlight Milestone

"Vaccinating the first participants with mRNA-1469 marks an important milestone in advancing a vaccine candidate against Bundibugyo ebolavirus, for which no approved vaccine currently exists," Stéphane Bancel, Moderna's CEO, said in a press release. "We are grateful to CEPI, Health Canada, the investigators and study participants for their contributions to advance this work."

Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEPI's CEO, said getting the vaccine candidate into a Phase 1 clinical trial is "a major step forward" in combatting the deadly outbreak.

"This fast-growing epidemic is already the second-largest Ebola outbreak in history, and cases are rising more quickly than they did in the 2014 -- 2016 West Africa epidemic which remains the largest on record," Hatchett said in the press release. "Every day matters, and every vaccine candidate in clinical trials gives us another shot at getting a safe, effective vaccine to the people who need it as swiftly as possible."

The Bundibugyo ebolavirus is one of several species of the Ebola virus and has historically caused fewer outbreaks than the Zaire strain, for which approved vaccines already exist. However, no licensed vaccine currently targets the Bundibugyo strain, making Moderna's clinical program an important step toward expanding available countermeasures if the vaccine proves safe and effective in future studies.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 05, 2026 07:13 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).