Ebola Bundibugyo vaccine – current status

The 2026 Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in eastern DR Congo and Uganda has triggered an unprecedented acceleration of vaccine development for a strain that, until now, had no candidates even in Phase 1 trials. As of 22 June 2026, DRC has confirmed 1,003 cases and 254 deaths (CFR ~25%), and Uganda has reported 20 confirmed cases, including 2 deaths — bringing the total to over 1,020 confirmed cases. The outbreak has now passed the threshold to be the second-largest Ebola epidemic on record. Declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by WHO on 17 May 2026, the outbreak has exposed a critical gap: while an approved, WHO-prequalified vaccine (Ervebo, Merck) exists for the Zaire ebolavirus, it offers no reliable cross-protection against Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), which carries a case fatality rate of up to 25-50%.; Three Candidates Now in Accelerated Preclinical Development On 1 June 2026, CEPI announced emergency funding...