US Ships Experimental Ebola Drug to Congo for Outbreak Trials

Health officials are racing experimental Ebola treatments to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where over 1,000 people have been infected in the fastest-moving outbreak ever recorded.

The US Department of Health and Human Services announced it's sending doses of MBP134, an antibody drug developed by California-based Mapp Biopharmaceutical, to help patients now while scientists conduct crucial trials. Washington had previously reserved the treatment only for American citizens at high risk, but changed course to support the outbreak response.

The shipments are already on their way. The World Health Organization is working with health partners to set up trial enrollment at treatment facilities across the affected region in northeastern DRC.

Scientists will test MBP134 both alone and combined with remdesivir, an antiviral that became familiar during the COVID-19 pandemic. A third drug, obeldesivir, will be tested as a possible preventive treatment to protect people who've been exposed to the virus.

This outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which currently has no approved vaccines or treatments. Since health officials confirmed the outbreak on May 15, cases have climbed faster than any previous Ebola outbreak on record, according to the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies.

The northeastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu account for 97 percent of cases. A small number have also appeared across the border in Uganda.

The Ripple Effect

These trials matter far beyond the current outbreak. Data gathered from testing these treatments could support future regulatory approval in the US and other countries, creating a ready arsenal for the next Ebola emergency.

The WHO has already made one major improvement by rolling out a decentralized testing network with new devices that return results within an hour. Early in the outbreak, samples had to be sent all the way to Kinshasa for testing because local laboratories only had tests for more common Ebola strains, causing dangerous delays.

Running clinical trials during an outbreak presents serious challenges. Health workers face difficult conditions including disrupted supply chains, widespread mistrust, and security concerns in a conflict-affected region.

But health officials are pushing forward because proper testing now could save countless lives later. Earlier studies found these treatments to be safe, though they haven't been tested against this particular Ebola strain.

The outbreak may have been spreading undetected for weeks or even months before confirmation, making the rapid response now even more critical. Every dose that arrives, every trial participant enrolled, and every data point collected brings the world one step closer to having proven tools ready when Ebola strikes next time.