Ebola Outbreak in Congo Prompts Urgent Vaccine Development

London. As a rare species of Ebola virus spreading in the African country of Congo and surrounding areas has started to take the form of an epidemic, scientists have rushed into a race to develop a vaccine for its control.

This species, which has so far claimed the lives of about 250 people, is currently being developed by three major scientific groups worldwide. Looking at the latest situation of the epidemic, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), involved in vaccine development, has warned that this outbreak could be the worst in history.

Currently, more than 1,000 suspected Ebola patients have been found in DR Congo, and infection has been confirmed in nine people in neighboring Uganda. Health officials are more concerned as this new outbreak has spread to a conflict-affected area with limited health infrastructure.

There is a fear that this epidemic could be as terrible as the largest Ebola outbreak in history that spread in West Africa between 2014 and 2016. At that time, about 29,000 people were infected and more than 11,000 died.

Recognizing the sensitivity of the epidemic, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), an organization providing financial support for vaccine research, has stated that 'every day is of great importance' in the current situation. Dr. Mark Feinberg, head of IAVI, highlighting the seriousness of the situation, said, 'I think there is a clear danger that this outbreak will become as serious as or more serious than the previous one, so developing vaccines and other control measures is the main priority right now.'

Similarly, the medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has also expressed concern, stating that the situation is very dire and that so many patients have never been seen in such a short period before.

There are a total of 6 species of Ebola virus, of which only three have the potential to cause epidemics. Each species requires a separate vaccine. While a vaccine is available for the most discussed 'Zaire' species of Ebola, the current epidemic is another species called 'Bundibugyo'. This species has only appeared twice in the world before, so no approved vaccine has been developed for it yet.

Currently, Oxford University, the pharmaceutical company Moderna, and IAVI are using their different technologies to develop a vaccine against this Bundibugyo species. IAVI is modifying the Zaire species vaccine to create a new vaccine that works against Bundibugyo.

In tests conducted on monkeys, this vaccine was found to rapidly develop the immune system and provide almost 100% protection. Dr. Feinberg said he is optimistic about the results based on the evidence so far. However, it will still take seven to nine months to prepare this vaccine for clinical trials, although the team is trying to reduce the timeline.

On the other hand, Moderna, a pharmaceutical company that gained fame during the Corona pandemic, has announced that it will use its renowned 'mRNA' technology against the Bundibugyo species. Moderna's CEO, Stéphane Bancel, said, 'We will work with full scientific determination and readiness to combat the infection and deliver this potential vaccine to the communities that need it most.'

Similarly, Oxford University is also developing a new Ebola vaccine using its own technology, which proved successful in saving lives during the Corona period. Oxford's vaccine is expected to be ready for clinical trials within the next two to three months.

The common goal of all three vaccines is to teach the human body to recognize the structure called 'Bundibugyo glycoprotein' on the outer layer of the virus. However, the three groups have adopted different technologies to achieve this. IAVI will engineer the Ebola glycoprotein into a live but harmless virus and deliver it to the body, allowing the body's immune system to learn to fight Ebola.

Moderna's mRNA and Oxford's vaccines, on the other hand, send a small piece of genetic code into the body. Once inside the body, it instructs the production of Bundibugyo glycoprotein, and the body treats it as an external element and begins to attack it. All these processes ensure that the human body's immune capacity is strengthened even before an actual Ebola infection occurs.

These differences in technology and methods of training the immune system may affect the level of protection provided by the vaccine and the number of doses required. According to scientists, the final determination of all these factors will be made only after the results of the upcoming clinical trials.

BBC