First Patients Enrolled in Trial to Test Treatments for Bundibugyo Ebola Virus

The first patients have been enrolled in a clinical trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to evaluate potential treatments for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus, marking an important milestone in research into one of the virus’s less common species.

The trial is being led by the DRC’s National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) with support from international partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO). Researchers will assess the safety and effectiveness of therapeutic candidates against Bundibugyo ebolavirus.

While approved treatments are available for Zaire ebolavirus, the species responsible for most recent Ebola outbreaks, there are currently no licensed treatments specifically shown to be effective against Bundibugyo virus disease.

Bundibugyo ebolavirus was first identified in Uganda in 2007 and is one of six recognised species within the Ebola virus family. Although outbreaks have been relatively rare, the virus can cause severe illness and has prompted ongoing international efforts to improve diagnosis, treatment and outbreak preparedness.

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