Stories
Congo Fights Deadliest Ebola Outbreak with Experimental Drug Trial
- •Over 250 participants are enrolled in a trial for an experimental antiviral pill, obeldesivir, to prevent Ebola in Congo's deadliest outbreak.
- •The drug targets the Bundibugyo virus, responsible for the current fast-moving outbreak, which lacks an approved vaccine or treatment.
- •The trial, coordinated by ALIMA, aims to recruit nearly 1,000 adults or children over 12 who have had contact with a confirmed case within five days but show no symptoms.
- •Participants are monitored daily for 21 days; if effective, the pill could break the infection chain by preventing the disease before symptoms appear.
- •The outbreak has recorded at least 8,300 confirmed cases and 4,000 deaths since mid-May, spreading across seven provinces and outpacing containment efforts.
Key Questions Answered
More than 250 participants have been enrolled in a clinical trial testing Gilead's experimental antiviral pill, obeldesivir. The drug is administered as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) soon after suspected contact with the Bundibugyo virus to prevent the disease from developing.
Coordinated by the medical nonprofit ALIMA, the trial aims to recruit nearly 1,000 adults and children over 12 who have had contact with a confirmed case within five days but show no symptoms. Participants are monitored in person every day for 21 days with a final phone call after 42 days. If proven effective, the pill could help break the infection chain before symptoms begin.
Congo has started vaccinating front-line health workers with the Ervebo vaccine, which was effective during previous Ebola outbreaks caused by a different virus type. Authorities are studying whether Ervebo can offer protection against the Bundibugyo strain, as there is currently no approved vaccine specifically for it.
