Moderna said on Monday it has entered into an agreement with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to advance a prospective vaccine against Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV), the strain identified in the ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Under the terms of the deal, CEPI has committed up to $50 million to underwrite preclinical development and early clinical testing of Moderna's investigational BDBV vaccine candidate. The funding is intended to support the vaccine through the initial stages of development, including work required before or during early human trials.
CEPI said it would also provide initial investments for additional vaccine efforts targeting the same virus. Those commitments include up to $8.6 million for a shot developed by the University of Oxford and to be manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, as well as an initial $3.2 million for a vaccine developed by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. These investments are described as early support for parallel development pathways focused on the Bundibugyo strain.
Last week, the World Health Organization recommended prioritizing a range of experimental therapeutics and preventive options for BDBV, specifying antibodies, antivirals and vaccines as areas to be emphasized for treatment and prevention. That guidance aligns with CEPI’s focus on accelerating vaccine development for epidemic and pandemic threats.
CEPI is described as a global partnership whose mission is to expedite the development of vaccines against epidemic and pandemic risks. Its financial commitments in this instance cover multiple candidates and developers as part of a broader effort to mobilize resources against the Bundibugyo ebolavirus.
Context for markets and sectors
- Health and biotech markets may follow developments in funding and clinical progress for BDBV vaccine candidates.
- Pharmaceutical manufacturing and vaccine production sectors are implicated by the involvement of the Serum Institute of India and other development partners.
- Global public health and epidemic preparedness stakeholders are central to the coordinated response described.
This announcement details targeted, conditional funding to support multiple vaccine candidates at early stages of development against Bundibugyo ebolavirus. The commitments aim to move promising candidates through preclinical work and into initial human testing while WHO guidance identifies experimental medicines and vaccines as prioritized tools for addressing the outbreak.