CEPI Invests Up to $8.5 Million to Advance Manufacturing of Experimental Bundibugyo Ebola Vaccine

Singapore partnership aims to accelerate clinical-grade vaccine production using Merck’s proven rVSV technology

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has announced funding of up to US$8.5 million to Hilleman Laboratories, a Singapore-based joint venture between Merck (MSD outside the United States and Canada) and Wellcome, to accelerate the manufacture of an experimental vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus (BDBV).

The investment will support the production of clinical-grade vaccine doses for early-stage human trials as global health agencies race to respond to the rapidly expanding Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to the latest outbreak data, thousands of infections have been reported and the disease has caused significant mortality, highlighting the urgent need for effective vaccines and therapeutics.

Accelerating Vaccine Readiness

The vaccine candidate has been developed by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and is based on the recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) platform—the same technology successfully used in Merck’s licensed Ervebo vaccine against the Zaire strain of Ebola.

Unlike Ervebo, which protects against Zaire ebolavirus, the new vaccine has been specifically designed to target the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, for which no licensed vaccine currently exists.

Under the agreement, Hilleman Laboratories will convert vaccine starting material supplied by IAVI into finished clinical trial doses suitable for human studies. Merck will provide technical expertise in rVSV manufacturing and process development to support rapid scale-up.

The partners expect the first clinical trial doses to be available before the end of 2026, subject to manufacturing timelines and regulatory requirements.

Why Bundibugyo Ebola Matters

Although less common than the Zaire strain, Bundibugyo ebolavirus can cause severe viral haemorrhagic fever with high fatality rates. The current outbreak has reinforced concerns that emerging Ebola species continue to pose major public health threats, particularly in regions where healthcare infrastructure is already under significant pressure. Unlike the Zaire strain, Bundibugyo Ebola currently has no approved vaccine or specific licensed treatment, making rapid vaccine development a global priority.

Key Differences at a Glance

Building Manufacturing Capacity Before the Next Outbreak

Beyond developing a vaccine candidate, the collaboration is intended to strengthen clinical manufacturing capacity so vaccine doses can be produced quickly during future outbreaks. The project focuses on:

• Manufacturing clinical-grade vaccine material.

• Fill-finish production of investigational doses.

• Process optimisation for future scale-up.

• Technology transfer for larger commercial manufacturing if required.

• Supporting rapid deployment during epidemic emergencies.

Hilleman Laboratories is expected to manufacture enough doses for early-stage clinical trials while maintaining the ability to transfer production to larger facilities if demand increases.

Strengthening Global Epidemic Preparedness

The investment forms part of CEPI’s broader strategy to accelerate vaccine development against emerging epidemic threats and improve equitable access to vaccines in low- and middle-income countries.

In parallel, CEPI is supporting additional Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine programmes, including candidates being developed by the University of Oxford and Moderna, alongside investments in antiviral medicines and monoclonal antibody therapies.

By supporting multiple vaccine technologies simultaneously, CEPI aims to reduce the time required to respond to future Ebola outbreaks and strengthen global pandemic preparedness.

One Health Perspective

Ebola viruses are zoonotic pathogens that are believed to circulate naturally in wildlife before spilling over into human populations. Human infections often occur at the interface between wildlife, domestic animals and communities, making Ebola an important One Health challenge.

Improving vaccine manufacturing capacity not only strengthens outbreak response but also supports broader efforts to prevent emerging infectious diseases from becoming regional or global health emergencies.

Industry Significance

The partnership demonstrates the growing importance of strategic collaborations between non-profit organisations, vaccine developers and global pharmaceutical companies to accelerate preparedness against high-consequence infectious diseases.

For the animal health and One Health sectors, investments in flexible vaccine manufacturing platforms such as rVSV represent an important step towards faster responses to emerging zoonotic diseases with pandemic potential.

As the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak continues to evolve, the CEPI–Hilleman collaboration could play a pivotal role in ensuring promising vaccine candidates reach clinical evaluation as quickly as possible, helping expand the world’s arsenal against one of the most dangerous viral haemorrhagic fevers.