Serum Institute of India to Produce Ebola Vaccine Doses for Clinical Trials

Serum Institute of India will produce clinical trial doses of a new Ebola vaccine from Oxford University. This initiative is backed by fresh funding to combat a spreading outbreak in Africa. The vaccine uses technology similar to the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. This partnership aims to accelerate development and ensure access for affected nations.

The Serum Institute of India (SII) is set to manufacture clinical trial doses of an experimental Ebola vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford, after the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) announced fresh funding to accelerate efforts against the rapidly spreading Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in Africa.

CEPI said it has committed up to $8.6 million to support preclinical testing and early-stage development of the Oxford vaccine candidate, with manufacturing of clinical-grade doses to be carried out by Pune-based SII.

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The funding comes as health authorities race to contain an outbreak of Bundibugyo ebolavirus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighbouring Uganda. The outbreak has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization and a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

There are currently no licensed vaccines available for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola and no candidates in clinical development, according to CEPI.

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CEPI's support for the Oxford-SII candidate forms part of a broader $60 million-plus effort to accelerate three experimental vaccines against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, including a Moderna-led programme that has secured up to $50 million in funding, Reuters reported earlier this week.

The Oxford candidate is based on the ChAdOx1 platform, the same technology that underpinned the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. The funding will support the creation of a Master Virus Seed stock and preparation for Phase 1 clinical trials.

“At moments like this, speed, scale and access is all that matters,” Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India, said in a statement. He said the company would leverage its manufacturing capabilities to help advance the vaccine candidate rapidly while supporting affordable access for affected countries if the vaccine proves successful.

Professor Teresa Lambe, head of vaccine immunology at Oxford Vaccine Group, said the programme is being pursued in collaboration with CEPI and global partners, including SII, to help curb the outbreak.

The Oxford candidate is one of three investigational Bundibugyo Ebola vaccines selected by CEPI for accelerated development. The organisation said the candidates use different vaccine technologies to maximise the chances of producing a safe and effective vaccine.

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The latest initiative builds on the partnership forged during the Covid-19 pandemic, when SII became one of the world's largest manufacturers of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The company is now expected to play a central role in producing doses for early-stage Ebola vaccine trials as global health agencies seek to prevent the outbreak from expanding further.

The outbreak has already resulted in hundreds of suspected deaths and cases, making it one of the largest filovirus outbreaks on record, according to CEPI.