WHO Launches Trial of Ebola Treatments in DRC
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the start of a clinical trial for two potential treatments targeting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which is behind the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
There are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for this rare strain, which has spread across northeastern provinces of the DRC. WHO data shows 1,406 confirmed cases, 438 deaths, and 208 recoveries so far.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that the trial began on Thursday with the enrolment of the first patient. The study will evaluate the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, both individually and in combination.
Read Also:
Tedros explained that the trial is being conducted by the DRC’s National Institute for Biomedical Research, with support from WHO and other partners.
“Patients who enroll in the trial will receive comprehensive supportive care and close follow-up,” he said.
He added that WHO is working to ensure patients have access to the drugs if they prove safe and effective.
The Bundibugyo strain is less common than the Zaire strain, which has been the focus of most past vaccine and treatment research.
Its emergence highlights the need for broader therapeutic options to address different Ebola variants.
The trial is part of WHO’s wider effort to strengthen outbreak response in the DRC, where fragile health systems and recurring epidemics have made disease control difficult.
Global health experts say the trial could mark a turning point in the fight against Ebola, offering hope for new tools to reduce mortality and improve recovery rates in future outbreaks.
