Embedding clinical research and vaccine development into emergency response
Lessons learned from the Bundibugyo Ebola disease outbreak in Africa
No licensed vaccine or approved therapeutic currently exists for Ebola virus disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus. By June 2026, more than 1,000 confirmed cases had already been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with cross-border spread now a real concern. This white paper breaks down what the world’s most experienced Ebola vaccine researchers have learned from five landmark outbreak trials.
Inside, you’ll find a practical look at the vaccine development landscape, adaptive clinical trial designs and outbreak-embedded trial models that let sponsors move at outbreak speed without compromising safety, and six strategic recommendations for regulators, funders, and clinical research organizations working across Africa.
Download the White Paper
Inside this white paper:
- The 2026 Bundibugyo outbreak, explained. A clear breakdown of the epidemiological picture, why it differs from past Zaire ebolavirus outbreaks, and why existing licensed Ebola vaccines don’t offer protection against this strain.
- The vaccine development landscape. Profiles of the three CEPI-backed Bundibugyo vaccine candidates now in development, rVSV, ChAdOx1, and mRNA platforms, and the strategic reasoning behind pursuing all three at once.
- Where clinical research can move fastest. A look at adaptive and outbreak-embedded trial designs, biomarker and immunogenicity studies, and real-world evidence generation, the approaches best suited to generating usable data mid-emergency.
- The four categories of risk facing trial sponsors. Scientific, operational, regulatory, and funding challenges specific to running clinical trials in active outbreak conditions.
- Five real-world case studies, with direct application. Ebola ça Suffit, STRIVE, PALM, EBOVAC-Salone/PREVAC, and the WHO R&D Blueprint, each paired with a concrete lesson for Bundibugyo trial execution today.
- Six strategic recommendations. Practical guidance for sponsors, CROs, regulators, and funders on building outbreak-ready trial capacity before the next emergency, not during it.
Written by:
- Edward Sobe Yarig, MSc-CT — Director, Project Delivery, Infectious Disease & Vaccines
- Laurence de Moerlooze, Ph.D — Senior VP, Head of Infectious Disease & Vaccines
