Health
CEPI begins first human trial of Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has announced the start of the world’s first human clinical trial of a vaccine developed specifically against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, with the first volunteer vaccinated at the University of Oxford.
The announcement was contained in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday by CEPI’s Senior Communications and Advocacy Manager, Jodie Rogers.
The Phase I clinical trial, known as BD-Ebov, will evaluate the safety of the experimental vaccine and its ability to stimulate immune responses 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 technology employed in the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the statement, the milestone comes only weeks after the launch of the BD-Ebov study and marks the first time the ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine has been administered to humans.
It said the vaccine development programme had progressed rapidly through collaboration among the University of Oxford, its Clinical BioManufacturing Facility, the Serum Institute of India (SII) and CEPI.
The statement added that SII manufactured the vaccine candidate in record time and has stockpiled approximately 620,000 doses, while providing 4,000 investigational doses for the ongoing clinical trial.
CEPI said the trial forms part of an $8.6 million programme supporting the University of Oxford and SII to accelerate the development of a vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain.
Ebola outbreak
NAN reports that the trial comes as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) battles a severe outbreak of Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease, with more than 2,500 confirmed cases and over 1,000 deaths recorded.
Unlike the Zaire strain of Ebola, for which licensed vaccines are available, there is currently no approved vaccine specifically targeting the Bundibugyo strain.
David Pulido-Gomez, Global Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls Lead at the Pandemic Sciences Institute, said the vaccine candidate moved from concept to clinical evaluation within just eight weeks.
“Reaching this milestone in such a short timeframe reflects an extraordinary collaborative effort,” he said.
“Working alongside colleagues at the Clinical BioManufacturing Facility and the Serum Institute of India, we have taken this vaccine candidate from concept to clinic in just eight weeks.”
The Lead Study Doctor, Peter Skydmore, described the vaccination of the first participant as a significant milestone.
Mr Skydmore said while these are very early days, they represent an important first step in evaluating this vaccine in humans.
“Over the coming months, we will continue vaccinating and monitoring participants while assessing the vaccine’s safety and immune responses,” he said.
Chief Investigator, Katrina Pollock, said the commencement of the trial marked another important phase in the multinational effort to develop a vaccine against the Bundibugyo ebolavirus.
Ms Pollock commended the commitment of research partners and volunteers, saying their participation was critical to responding to the ongoing outbreak.
Commenting on the development, CEPI Chief Executive Officer, Richard Hatchett, said the worsening outbreak in the DRC underscored the urgency of developing a vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain.
“With Bundibugyo cases increasing at a concerning rate in the DRC, this epidemic shows no signs of stopping,” he said.
“The need for a vaccine against this specific Ebolavirus becomes more urgent every day.”
Also speaking, Chief Executive Officer of SII, Adar Poonawalla, said the rapid manufacture of the vaccine candidate demonstrated how scientific innovation and scalable production could accelerate responses to emerging infectious diseases.
He reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to supporting equitable access to vaccines for populations most at risk.
According to the statement, recruitment and vaccination of additional volunteers will continue over the coming weeks, while preparations are underway, subject to regulatory approval, for further clinical studies in Uganda.
It added that if the Phase I trial demonstrates favourable safety and immune responses, CEPI, the University of Oxford and SII will advance to larger late-stage studies to support emergency use authorisation or full regulatory approval.
ALSO READ: Ebola: BVD outbreak in DRC remains active with 2,124 cases
The partners also pledged to ensure the rapid, affordable and equitable supply of the vaccine to affected countries once it is successfully developed.
About the vaccine
NAN reports that ChAdOx1 BDBV is an experimental vaccine developed specifically to protect against the Bundibugyo strain, one of the species that causes Ebola Virus Disease.
The vaccine uses the ChAdOx1 platform, a harmless chimpanzee adenovirus vector engineered to carry genetic material from the Bundibugyo ebolavirus.
The technology trains the body’s immune system to recognise and fight the virus without causing Ebola infection.
The same ChAdOx1 platform was used to develop the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which was deployed globally during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers say the existing platform enabled the rapid development of the Bundibugyo vaccine candidate. (NAN)
The woman who tested positive for Ebola in Nigeria and was evacuated to Switzerland for treatment has been discharged from hospital after making a full recovery.
She was discharged from Geneva University Hospitals on Wednesday, after medical personnel confirmed her recovery, Reuters reported on Thursday, quoting a statement from the hospital.
“After the medical team confirmed her full recovery, the cantonal physician authorised the patient being treated for Ebola virus disease to leave the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) on 11 November 2026,” the hospital said.
The Uganda-born woman and her husband, a Swiss diplomat, were evacuated from Nigeria to Switzerland on 26 October. Her evacuation was confirmed by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate.
The patient had returned to Abuja from Uganda on 3 October. She developed symptoms days later and was admitted to a private health facility before the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) was notified. Laboratory tests confirmed the infection on 20 October.
Nigeria continues Ebola surveillance
The NCDC’s latest Ebola situation dashboard, updated on 12 November with data as of 11 November, lists one confirmed case, no deaths and seven negative cases.
It also shows that 62 contacts linked to the confirmed case have been identified. Of these, 52 have completed their mandatory 21-day follow-up, while 10 remain under monitoring.
The NCDC said its response includes contact tracing, investigation of reported alerts, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control measures, and surveillance at the country’s points of entry.
On 11 November, NCDC disclosed that Nigeria recorded no additional confirmed Ebola cases since the imported infection was confirmed.
The agency has urged healthcare workers to remain vigilant, ask patients about their travel and exposure histories, and promptly report suspected cases to public health authorities.
READ ALSO: Ebola: Nigeria records no new cases 21 days after imported infection – NCDC
Regional outbreak continues
The situation in Nigeria is part of a wider outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease affecting parts of Africa.
In its latest situation update published on 6 November, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said the DRC had recorded 10,668 confirmed cases and 5,198 deaths as of 3 November, across 67 health zones in eight provinces.
Kenya had recorded nine confirmed cases and two deaths, while Nigeria had reported one imported case. WHO said there had been no new confirmed cases in Kenya or Nigeria since its previous update.
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
PREMIUM TIMES journalist Mariam Ileyemi has emerged as the third-prize winner in the Nigeria AMR Media Awards (NAMA), recognising her reporting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The NAMA is a national category of the 2026 Global AMR Media Awards (GAMA), which recognises journalists and other media professionals whose work raises awareness of drug-resistant infections and promotes action against the growing public health threat.
The 2026 awards received 382 entries from four global regions, with Africa accounting for 193 submissions. Asia-Pacific followed with 134 entries, while Europe and the Americas recorded 28 and 27 entries, respectively. Nigeria submitted 96 entries for the global and national competitions, representing about a quarter of the total submissions.
Ms Ileyemi was recognised for her report examining the gender dimensions of AMR, including how gender-based violence, social inequalities and barriers to healthcare affect women’s exposure to drug-resistant infections and access to treatment.
In the report, published in March 2026, she highlighted calls by health experts for gender-responsive policies to address antimicrobial resistance.
The recognition adds to her reporting on AMR. In November 2024, she collaborated with Nike Adebowale-Tambe, the PREMIUM TIMES Head of Health and Development Desk, on a special investigation examining the experiences of Nigerians affected by drug-resistant infections and the challenges they face when medicines fail.
In the NAMA category, Kazeem Biriowo of Nigerian Tribune won first prize, while Julian Adetinuyo of News Scope Africa came second.
Seven other journalists received special mentions: Folashade Akpan of the News Agency of Nigeria, Chioma Obinna of Vanguard, Helen Oji Emmanuel of Blueprint, Fatima Saka of DistinctNews, Chinyere Okorafor of Nigeria Health Times, Laide Akinboade of Daily Asset and Odimmegwa John Peter of New Africa Horizon.
The winners in the Nigerian category will receive certificates and cash prizes supported by the Art for Health Initiative, a non-profit organisation.
The awards were announced on 11 November during the Sixth Global Media Forum on AMR, ahead of World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week, observed annually from 18 to 24 November.
Nigeria is scheduled to host the Fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR in Abuja from 6 to 8 December 2026. The conference, the first of its kind to be held on African soil, is expected to bring together government representatives and other stakeholders to strengthen global action against antimicrobial resistance.
Other Nigerian winners
Other Nigerian journalists also received recognition in the global award categories.
In the category for reporting on the Fifth High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR, Annabel Nwachukwu of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria won first prize, followed by Edward Samuel Ikpete of Voice of Nigeria in second place and Doris Obinna of The Sun in third. Alice Etuka of The Fact Daily received a special mention.
In the People’s Reporting category, Isioma Appiah-Yeboah of Clean Beat Radio won first prize, Racheal Abujah of NAN won second, and Helen Shikanda, a Kenyan, came third. Princess Ekwi-Ajide of the Anambra Broadcasting Service, Smith Nwokocha of Port Harcourt Wakawaka Blog and Chioma Vivian James of True Verdict received special mentions.
Patience Ihejirika of Leadership Newspaper and Benedict Ifeanyi Chukwu of Kaftan TV also received special mentions in the Africa category.
The Global AMR Media Awards are organised by the Global AMR Media Alliance, a network of media professionals working to raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance and promote its visibility within global health security and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Media coverage of AMR
Speaking after the announcement, Shobha Shukla, chairperson of the Global AMR Media Alliance, congratulated Nigerian journalists and commended Ojoma Akor, founding chairperson of the Nigeria AMR Media Alliance, for highlighting the effects of AMR and strengthening media efforts to address the problem.
Ms Shukla said AMR was not merely a medical or scientific issue but also a societal and development challenge that required action beyond laboratories and hospitals.
“We need an informed public, accountable governments, and responsible practices across human, animal, and environmental health,” she said.
She said the media has the power to connect these issues, amplify the experiences of affected communities and turn public awareness into action.
Ms Shukla urged journalists to move beyond reporting AMR solely as a health news issue and help build public support for responsible antimicrobial use and stronger health systems.
Ms Akor, in her comments, described the inaugural NAMA awards as an important milestone for health and science journalism in Nigeria, noting that AMR had received insufficient attention in newsrooms despite its implications for public health, healthcare delivery, food security and national development.
She said the awards recognised journalism’s role in making an often-unseen public health threat visible, translating complex scientific evidence into accessible information, amplifying the experiences of affected communities and holding institutions accountable.
“As an alliance, we remain committed to building the capacity of journalists, encouraging investigative and solutions-oriented reporting, and ensuring that AMR receives the sustained attention it deserves,” she said.
Chidera Rosecamille Aneke, founder of the Art for Health Initiative, said AMR is one of the organisation’s focal areas and explained that its support for the NAMA awards was intended to encourage innovative storytelling.
“AMR is one of our organisation’s focal areas, and we are glad to support the NAMA awards to push innovative storytelling to communicate AMR in ways the audience can understand,” she said.
She said the initiative works at the intersection of storytelling, media and the arts to promote public understanding and action on critical health issues.
Understanding antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond effectively to medicines used to treat infections. This makes infections harder to treat and increases the risk of severe illness and death.
The problem affects human and animal health, food production and the environment, making it a One Health concern.
Nigeria’s National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2024–2028 cites estimates that 64,500 deaths in the country were directly attributable to AMR in 2019, while 263,400 deaths were associated with it. The country has also acknowledged surveillance gaps that make it difficult to establish the full scale of drug-resistant infections.
About Mariam Ileyemi
Mariam Ileyemi is a Nigerian journalist on the Health and Development Desk at PREMIUM TIMES. Her reporting covers antimicrobial resistance, disease prevention, and primary healthcare.
She was named PREMIUM TIMES Reporter of the Year 2025 and is a fellow of the Africa Health Communications Fellowship and Media-EIS Fellowship, among others.
She was recently nominated for the Outstanding Health Investigation Award at the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN) Annual Awards. She is also a recipient of the Mamman Marshall Scholarship for Women in Journalism.
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
-
News3 days agoAPM holds Presidential Campaign in Plateau, Pledges Security and Economic Reset
-
News21 hours ago
UNIJOS Appoints Patricia Lar as First Female Vice-Chancellor
-
News4 days ago
Nigeria’s ntel wins international MVNO pitch competition in Spain – Technology Times
-
News4 days ago
APM Flags Off State-by-State Campaign in Jos, Pledges Security, Economic Recovery
