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5d ago

UNICEF and Gavi Seek Manufacturers to Accelerate Bundibugyo Ebola Vaccines

The outreach aims to unlock up to $40 million for scale-up, regulatory support, regional production to prepare investigational doses for emergency use.

UNICEF staff and airport workers receive an Echo humanitarian aircraft carrying medical supplies, personal protective equipment for the Ebola response, as authorities intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, at the Bunia National Airport in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 29, 2026. REUTERS/Gradel Muyisa Mumbere
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Overview

  • UNICEF and Gavi issued a Request for Expression of Interest on Wednesday, June 24 to gather developers' timelines, production plans and candidate details so partners can prioritise vaccine efforts.
  • Gavi has earmarked up to $40 million to speed access to a successful Bundibugyo vaccine and set aside up to $10 million more from its First Response Fund for outbreak response, for a $50 million package of support.
  • The United States has pledged $50 million to CEPI to back development of medical countermeasures for the Bundibugyo strain, increasing resources available for candidate advancement.
  • Multiple candidates are under evaluation, including rVSV, ChAdOx1 and mRNA platforms from groups such as IAVI, Oxford/Serum Institute and Moderna, with some developers planning trial-ready doses by late 2026.
  • The initiative prioritises manufacturing readiness in Africa, regulatory pathways such as WHO Emergency Use Listing, and rapid access to investigational doses so vaccines can be deployed quickly if shown to be safe and effective.