Gavi Endorses Use of Ervebo in Phase 3 Trial for Bundibugyo Virus Outbreak

The World Health Organization’s Technical Advisory Group on candidate vaccine prioritization (TAG‑CVP) has recommended that the existing Ebola vaccine Ervebo (rVSV‑ZEBOV) be fast‑tracked into a Phase 3 study to address the current Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The recommendation cites extensive safety and immunogenicity data from Ervebo’s use in several Ebola Zaire outbreaks over the past decade, arguing that the vaccine is ready for direct evaluation against Bundibugyo. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is backing the effort with a US$40 million investment from its First Response Fund, aiming to accelerate access to promising Bundibugyo‑specific candidates and to support eventual WHO pre‑qualification. Doses will be drawn from Gavi‑funded global stockpiles managed by the Interagency Coordination Group on Vaccine Provision, which has previously supplied more than 47,000 people in the DRC during a September 2025 Ebola Zaire campaign. In addition, Gavi’s preventive vaccination programme has already immunised roughly 55,000 frontline workers in Ituri and North Kivu, underscoring the alliance’s commitment to protecting health‑care staff in high‑risk areas.