https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/clinical-trial-for-bundibugyo-ebola-treatments-starts-6056395Clinical Trial for Bundibugyo Ebola Treatments StartsPatients are being enrolled to test potential treatments against the ebolavirus that is behind the ongoing outbreak in Africa.7.2.26
by Zachary Stieber
A new clinical trial aimed at identifying a safe and effective treatment against the virus behind the growing Ebola outbreak in Africa began on July 2.
The trial is assessing a monoclonal antibody and an antiviral medication, both developed by U.S.-based companies.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is sponsoring the trial, which involves Congo’s national research institute, Belgium’s Institute of Tropical Medicine, the UK’s University of Oxford, and several nonprofits, including The Alliance for International Medical Action.
Some 1,406 people have been confirmed to have contracted Ebola in the outbreak, which was detected in May and has primarily been confined to Congo and Uganda. Of those, 438 people have died, and 192 have recovered.
Testing has identified the Bundibugyo virus as causing the outbreak. The rare ebolavirus has no approved vaccines or treatments, in contrast to the more common Zaire ebolavirus.
“Even without approved therapeutics, people are recovering from this disease, but of course, we could save many more lives with safe and effective therapeutics in our toolkit,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director-general, said in a statement.
The trial is utilizing doses of Mapp Biopharmaceutical’s antibody MBP134 provided by U.S. authorities. Remdesivir, made by Gilead Sciences, is also being analyzed. Both Mapp and Gilead are based in California.
A WHO technical advisory group reviewed data on possible treatments and selected the antibody and antiviral for the trial.
Patients in the randomized, controlled trial must have confirmed Ebola infection from Bundibugyo. They will be given early supportive care, including intravenous fluids, and monitored for at least 28 days following enrollment.
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