Serum Institute to make trial Ebola vaccine using Oxford-AstraZeneca technology
Serum Institute of India (SII) is set to make trial doses of a new Ebola vaccine from Oxford University, targeting the Bundibugyo strain that's caused deadly outbreaks in Africa.
Backed by up to $8.6 million from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI, this project uses the same technology as the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot, so there's real hope it could work fast.
No approved Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine
There's currently no approved vaccine for this particular Ebola strain, and the recent outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization.
SII CEO Adar Poonawalla says speed and affordability are key to saving lives.
This move is part of a bigger push (CEPI's $60 million-plus effort) to accelerate three experimental vaccines against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.