Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have begun a new clinical trial in Bunia to evaluate vaccine candidates against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, as the country grapples with its largest-ever outbreak of the disease.
The trial, named Tumaini, which means hope
in Swahili, administered its first vaccinations in Bunia, located in the northeastern Ituri Province. The launch marks the first time an Ebola vaccine clinical trial has taken place during this specific outbreak, which was officially declared on May 15, 2026, and subsequently prompted the World Health Organization to declare a Public Health Emergency.
Congolese Authorities Use Adaptive Platform for Vaccine Trials
Led by Congolese health authorities and research institutions, the trial uses an adaptive platform design. This structure allows researchers to evaluate multiple vaccine candidates within a single clinical trial framework rather than requiring entirely separate studies. The National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB) in the DRC and the Global Health Institute at the University of Anvers are co-dirigeting and co-promoting the study, with national supervision from the Congolese Ministry of Health and regulatory approval from the agency ACOREP.
📢 The first participant was vaccinated today in Tumaini, a CEPI-funded pivotal Phase 2/3 clinical trial of vaccine candidates against Bundibugyo virus (BDBV). The trial is part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s response to the devastating outbreak which has claimed… pic.twitter.com/2sLnbXvSGm
The study relies on a ring vaccination approach, targeting close contacts of confirmed cases and other high-risk individuals to build an immunological barrier against transmission. The first vaccine integrated into the trial is Ervebo, which is licensed to prevent disease caused by the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus. Researchers are testing Ervebo to establish whether it offers cross-protection against the Bundibugyo strain. Two additional candidate vaccines specifically designed against the Bundibugyo virus are slated to join the trial: an mRNA candidate developed by Moderna and an adenoviral-vector candidate known as ChAdOx1, developed by the University of Oxford in collaboration with the Serum Institute of India.
Scale of the Outbreak Across the Region
The trial comes as the Democratic Republic of the Congo struggles with the deadliest and fastest-growing Bundibugyo virus outbreak in its history. According to figures released by organisations supporting the trial, the DRC had recorded 9,552 cases and 4,602 deaths as of October 21, 2026, with totals climbing past 9,700 cases according to separate reporting. The cross-border spread has also touched neighboring nations. Nigeria confirmed its first case of Ebola virus disease following an outbreak that began in the DRC in May. Kenya has reported nine cases, while Uganda previously recorded cases before being declared Ebola-free in August.
Public Health Leaders Criticize Global Neglect of African Diseases
The absence of an approved vaccine specifically for the Bundibugyo strain—nearly two decades after the virus was first identified in Uganda—has drawn sharp criticism from public health leaders. Jean Kaseya of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention argued that the lack of prior investment reflected a broader failure of the international community to prioritize diseases affecting African populations. Mr Kaseya maintained that responses would look markedly different if the pathogen emerged elsewhere.
If this outbreak was in Western countries, vaccines will already be available.
Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC
Mr Kaseya noted that the Bundibugyo strain had caused three outbreaks over 19 years without yielding an approved vaccine, and said African nations must invest in domestic research, clinical trials, and local manufacturing. The European Medicines Agency’s Emergency Task Force and the African Medicines Agency also published joint guidance on August 24, 2026, to outline minimum clinical trial requirements and accelerate vaccine development timelines across the region.
Leadership Perspectives on the Ground
Local and international leaders emphasized the collaborative nature of the scientific response. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus shared news of the first inoculations on his official X account, citing the importance of empirical research.
Science gives us hope.
Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization
Ituri Province Governor Major General Kasongo Gaby similarly pointed to the collective resolve behind the deployment. Pointing to the mobilization of regional assets, he described the launch as a decisive stand against mounting health threats.
Science gives us hope. Today, in Bunia #DRC, the first participants were vaccinated in a new #Ebola vaccine trial called TUMAINI, which means “hope” in Swahili.There is currently no approved vaccine against the Bundibugyo virus causing the outbreak. This trial will help us… pic.twitter.com/asVZlTwAGt
This event is of particular importance. It reflects our shared determination not to passively accept health threats, but to mobilise all available resources.
Major General Kasongo Gaby, Governor of Ituri Province
Health officials caution that the launch of the Tumaini trial does not mean any of the candidate vaccines have yet been proven effective against the Bundibugyo strain. Researchers intend for the Phase II/III evaluation to generate definitive data on safety, immune response, and real-world effectiveness as the outbreak response continues.
An important milestone in the Ebola response in DRC.The Tumaini vaccine trial has launched in Bunia, an important step towards identifying vaccines that can protect against the Bundibugyo virus. Getting here has taken considerable work.Under the leadership of the DRC…
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Health workers and other frontline responders play a critical role in the response to the #Ebola outbreak in the DRC.Measures to protect them include training in infection prevention and control (IPC) and vaccination under a compassionate use framework.During his mission to… pic.twitter.com/UGh1HSozsp