Ebola treatments trial begins in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the commencement of a clinical trial for potential treatments of the Ebola virus strain currently causing a deadly outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The first patient has been enrolled in the trial, which aims to find safe and effective therapeutics for the Bundibugyo virus strain, for which no approved treatments currently exist. The trial is sponsored by the WHO and coordinated by scientists from institutions in the DRC, Belgium, and the UK. This initiative comes as the DRC has confirmed over 1,400 cases and 438 deaths from the disease. The WHO chief expressed hope that approved therapeutics would help save more lives, noting that some individuals are already recovering from the illness.

Researchers have launched a study in eastern Congo to test two potential treatments for the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, a less common strain for which no specific treatments or vaccines currently exist. The World Health Organization announced the enrollment of the first participant in this trial, which aims to improve survival rates in the ongoing outbreak that has infected over 1,400 people and caused 438 deaths. The study will evaluate Gilead Sciences' remdesivir and Mapp Biopharmaceutical's experimental MBP134, with participants receiving standard care and randomly assigned to receive one or both drugs, or neither. The trial, a collaboration involving international health groups and Congo's research institute, is currently based in Ituri province and may expand if conditions allow.