Ebola Vaccine Shows Promise in Fighting Deadly Outbreaks
Development of the Vaccine
Scientists have been working for decades to develop a safe and effective vaccine against the Ebola virus. The virus was first discovered in 1976 during simultaneous outbreaks in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan. For many years, research focused on understanding the biology and epidemiology of Ebola as there was little funding or incentive for private companies to develop a vaccine.
It wasn't until the massive 2014-2016 outbreak in West Africa that killed over 11,000 people that vaccine research shifted into high gear. International organizations like the WHO as well as governments and private partners ramped up funding for Ebola Vaccine candidates. Tests of several potential vaccines in non-human primates showed promise, paving the way for clinical trials in humans.
In 2015, researchers at the National Institutes of Health began the first phase 1 safety trials of an experimental vaccine developed by Merck known as rVSV-ZEBOV. Early results showed the vaccine produced an immune response and was well-tolerated with no serious side effects. Subsequent trials expanded to find the optimal dosage and evaluate efficacy. By 2019, the vaccine known as Ervebo had received regulatory approval from the European Commission and the FDA for use during outbreaks.
Clinical Effectiveness During the 2018 Outbreak
The real-world effectiveness of the Ebola vaccine was demonstrated during the 2018 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This was the country's largest outbreak on record with over 3,400 cases. For the first time, the Ervebo vaccine was deployed for ring vaccination—targeting contacts and contacts of contacts of those with confirmed Ebola infections in an effort to surround and stop new spread.
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