New mRNA Vaccine Shows Early Promise Against Ebola-Family Viruses
Researchers have developed an experimental mRNA vaccine that may offer protection against several of the most dangerous viruses in the Ebola family, including Bundibugyo virus, which is currently spreading in parts of Central Africa.
The outbreak has affected more than 600 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with two confirmed cases reported in Uganda. The World Health Organization has declared the situation a public health emergency of international concern.
Bundibugyo virus belongs to a group known as orthoebolaviruses, which also includes Zaire virus, the most common Ebola strain, and Sudan virus. All three can cause severe illness in humans. While vaccines exist for Zaire virus, there are currently no approved vaccines for Bundibugyo or Sudan viruses.
A research team led by Yanfeng Yao at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China says it has created a broad-spectrum vaccine designed to target all three viruses. The vaccine uses mRNA technology, similar to that used in some COVID-19 vaccines. It contains genetic instructions for producing key viral proteins, including glycoproteins from each virus and a nucleoprotein shared by all three.
In tests on mice, the vaccine provided complete protection against Zaire and Sudan viruses and strong protection against Bundibugyo virus. It also fully protected hamsters exposed to Sudan virus.
The findings suggest the vaccine could be a step toward broader protection against Ebola-family outbreaks. However, researchers and outside experts caution that the results are still at an early stage. So far, the vaccine has only been tested in rodents.
Robert Cross of the University of Texas Medical Branch said further testing in non-human primates would be important, as such studies are considered a stronger indicator of likely human effectiveness. Adrian Esterman of Adelaide University also noted that human trials would probably still be several years away, pending additional animal studies, safety testing and manufacturing development.
