Oxford Scientists Fast-Track New Ebola Vaccine for Deadly Outbreak

Oxford University researchers are working at lightning speed to develop a vaccine for a rare and deadly species of Ebola known as Bundibugyo. This specific strain, which currently has no proven vaccine, has a terrifying mortality rate, killing about one-third of those it infects. With an active outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo causing hundreds of suspected cases and many deaths, the pressure is on.

The World Health Organization has already upgraded the risk level in the DRC to "very high," making this scientific mission more critical than ever. While the risk to the rest of the world remains low for now, health officials are not taking any chances. This is why the team in the UK is aiming to have a vaccine ready for clinical trials in just two to three months.

If the technology sounds familiar, that’s because it is. The scientists are using the same ChAdOx1 platform that was used to create the Covid-19 vaccine. This technology acts like a delivery vehicle, using a modified, harmless virus to carry genetic instructions that teach the body how to fight off the infection. Because the platform is so adaptable, researchers were able to quickly swap in genetic code from the Bundibugyo virus.

While there are no guarantees yet that the vaccine will be effective in humans, animal research and upcoming trials will provide the answers. Another vaccine is also in the works elsewhere, but it could take much longer to reach the testing phase. For now, the world is watching Oxford, hoping this scientific breakthrough can stop the outbreak before it spreads further.

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