Uganda has taken a historic step in the fight against the Ebola Sudan virus with the official launch of the first-ever clinical efficacy trial for a vaccine targeting this deadly strain. Spearheaded by the Ministry of Health of Uganda, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international bodies, the trial is unfolding with unprecedented speed and precision, marking a critical milestone in global efforts to combat Ebola.

The randomized clinical trial, initiated just four days after the outbreak was confirmed on January 30, is the first of its kind to assess the clinical efficacy of a vaccine against the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus. The swift launch of the trial is a testament to Uganda’s advanced preparedness and rapid response framework, ensuring immediate action in a high-risk outbreak setting.

The groundwork for this breakthrough was laid years in advance, with Uganda’s health teams undergoing extensive training in good clinical practices (GCP) and emergency response protocols. In 2022, the Ministry of Health established research-based vaccine strategies to expedite response times, a move that has significantly contributed to the remarkable speed of the current trial.

Conducted in collaboration with IAVI, the non-profit organization that developed the vaccine, the trial is backed by global funding partners, including the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada, and the European Commission's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA). Support also comes from Africa CDC, Makerere University, and the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), whose researchers are leading the trial on the ground.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the collaborative efforts between national and international health teams, emphasizing the importance of global solidarity in public health emergencies. “This is a critical achievement towards better pandemic preparedness and saving lives when outbreaks occur,” he stated, acknowledging the frontline health workers and communities whose participation has been essential to the trial's success.

The vaccine being tested is a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV)-based candidate, one of several promising countermeasures under development. While there are licensed vaccines for the Zaire species of the Ebola virus, no licensed vaccine currently exists for the Sudan strain. A successful outcome from this trial could not only aid in controlling the current outbreak but also pave the way for the first-ever licensed vaccine against this variant, significantly improving global Ebola preparedness.

A key factor in the rapid deployment of the trial is the pre-positioning of vaccine doses in Uganda years before the outbreak, a move that underscores the importance of strategic planning and emergency readiness in global health security. WHO, in collaboration with Uganda’s Ministry of Health and IAVI, has ensured that the vaccines remain secure and effective, maintaining strict cold chain storage requirements.

If the trial yields positive results, it could fundamentally change the course of future Ebola outbreaks, not only in Uganda but across the world. The data generated will contribute to future vaccine licensure efforts, potentially saving thousands of lives in the years to come and reinforcing Uganda’s leadership in pandemic preparedness and vaccine innovation.

 

Article by Nyokabi Wanjiku

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https://www.un.org/en/unis-nairobi/groundbreaking-ebola-vaccination-trial-launches-today-uganda