WHO Launches Clinical Trial for Ebola Treatments in DRC
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the commencement of a clinical trial on July 2, 2026, to evaluate potential treatments for Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a form of Ebola, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The trial, known as PARTNERS, is assessing the efficacy of the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, among other combinations, to improve patient survival rates.
Conducted in collaboration with the DRC’s Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Belgium, and the University of Oxford, the trial is supported by the Africa CDC. This platform trial allows for additional treatments to be introduced as the study progresses.
Since the outbreak's onset, over 1,400 cases have been reported in the DRC, with approximately 440 deaths and 210 recoveries. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the potential impact of approved therapies, stating that while some recover without them, effective treatments could significantly reduce mortality.
The Bundibugyo strain, characterized by its rarity and absence of targeted treatments or vaccines, has prompted urgent research efforts. The trial's launch comes as the outbreak continues to challenge healthcare infrastructure in the region.