Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has launched the world’s first human clinical trial of a Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine, marking a major milestone in global efforts to protect against one of the deadliest strains of the Ebola virus.
CEPI announced on Friday that the first volunteer has been successfully vaccinated at the University of Oxford as part of the Phase I trial, known as BD-Ebov. According to a statement issued by CEPI’s Senior Communications and Advocacy Manager, Jodie Rogers, the trial will assess the safety of the experimental vaccine and determine whether it can trigger a strong immune response in healthy adult volunteers.
The vaccine candidate, ChAdOx1 BDBV, was developed by scientists at the University of Oxford’s Oxford Vaccine Group and the Pandemic Sciences Institute using the same adenoviral vector platform employed in the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Researchers say the technology enabled the rapid development of a vaccine specifically targeting the Bundibugyo strain, unlike existing licensed Ebola vaccines, which primarily protect against the Zaire strain.
Scientists believe the new vaccine could fill a critical gap in global epidemic preparedness if it proves safe and effective. The Phase I study is designed to evaluate the vaccine’s safety profile and its ability to stimulate protective immunity before advancing to larger clinical trials that will determine its effectiveness against infection.
Successful completion of the trial could pave the way for emergency use authorisation and eventual regulatory approval, strengthening the world’s ability to respond quickly to future Ebola outbreaks caused by the Bundibugyo virus.
About the Author
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Abah Felicity