Oxford takes on a new Ebola strain with the world's first human trial of a Bundibugyo ebolavirus vaccine. The early-stage BD-Ebov trial will test the ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine — built on the same platform as the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot — in 50 healthy adults, as the virus continues to spread across the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
The University of Oxford has kicked off the world's first human trial of a vaccine targeting Bundibugyo ebolavirus, a strain currently fueling an active outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The early-stage BD-Ebov trial will enroll 50 healthy adults aged 18–55 in Oxford, assessing the safety and immune response of the ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine — developed using the same viral vector technology behind the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot.
The rollout has been remarkably swift: the Serum Institute of India manufactured and stockpiled roughly 620,000 doses within just two weeks and supplied 4,000 investigational doses for this study. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has committed up to $8.6 million in initial funding, with plans to support late-stage trials if early results are promising. Additional studies in Uganda are also in the pipeline.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: With Bundibugyo ebolavirus spreading across two countries and no approved vaccine available, this trial marks a critical step toward a targeted countermeasure — and demonstrates how pandemic-era vaccine platforms can be rapidly repurposed in the face of emerging outbreaks.
