WHO Launches Trial of Remdesivir and MBP134 in Burundi Province

The World Health Organization has initiated a WHO‑supported clinical trial targeting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the DRC’s Ituri province. The trial, based at the CME Ebola Treatment Centre in the Rwampara health area, will evaluate the antiviral remdesivir, the experimental monoclonal antibody MBP134, and their combination.

The first patient was enrolled on the day the trial was announced, and each participant will be followed for a 28‑day period to gauge safety and effectiveness. No licensed vaccine or specific therapy exists for this Ebola variant, making the study a critical step toward potential treatment options.

The research collaboration includes the DRC’s National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB), Oxford University, the Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine, and several other global health institutions.