WHO Initiates Clinical Trial for Ebola Treatment in DR Congo Johannesburg, South Africa — The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a pivotal clinical trial for a new Ebola treatment in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), marking a significant step in the battle against the Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a rare and deadly form of Ebola.
The trial, named PARTNERS, began enrolling patients on June 30, 2026, and aims to evaluate the efficacy of two antiviral therapies: monoclonal antibody MBP134 and remdesivir, against BVD.
The PARTNERS trial is a collaborative effort, sponsored by the WHO and coordinated by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in the DRC, the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Belgium, and the University of Oxford in the UK.
The urgency of the trial is underscored by the fact that over 1400 people have been diagnosed with BVD in the DRC since the outbreak began, with nearly 440 deaths.
The trial’s launch comes as the DRC faces multiple Ebola outbreaks, with BVD being one of the rarer forms. While treatments for Ebola virus disease exist, none are currently approved for BVD, complicating the response to the outbreaks.
The new trial aims to address this gap in treatment options. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Kinshasa as part of a high-level African Union solidarity mission to reinforce regional support for the DRC’s response to the Ebola outbreak.
The international community’s commitment to the DRC’s fight against Ebola is further demonstrated by the U.
S. Department of Health and Human Services, which confirmed it will provide doses of MBP134, an antibody drug developed by California-based Mapp Biopharmaceutical, for compassionate use in the DRC and to support a clinical trial in the outbreak region.
As the trial progresses, it is hoped that the findings will contribute to a better understanding of how to treat BVD and potentially save lives in the DRC and beyond.
The trial’s results will be closely monitored by health authorities and researchers, with the hope that they will pave the way for a more effective response to future Ebola outbreaks.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: Google News v2
