In 2011, three macaques received an experimental vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. While two-thirds of their unvaccinated companions died, the three animals remained asymptomatic. Virologist Thomas Geisbert at the University of Texas Medical Branch had completed his work. Yet 15 years later, that vaccine has never been tested in humans or deployed during outbreaks. Today, with a raging outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, the scientific community wonders why such a promising solution remains idle.
Geisbert developed the vaccine using rVSV (recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus) technology, the same platform behind the well-known Ervebo vaccine for the Zaire strain. The vaccine candidate specifically targets Bundibugyo, a less common but deadly strain responsible for three outbreaks since 2007. The main issue has been a lack of commercial interest: as Geisbert stated, 'There just wasn't a global market for an Ebola vaccine. It's not a moneymaker, nobody really wanted to pick it up.' This funding gap has halted any progress toward human trials.
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The current outbreak has infected hundreds and killed around 200 people. The World Health Organization has identified Geisbert's vaccine as the most promising candidate, but production is hindered by logistical and bureaucratic hurdles. For instance, scientists have been unable to obtain a live Bundibugyo virus sample from the DRC due to limited resources and the complexity of transporting refrigerated blood to the US. Although genetic analysis suggests 98% similarity to previous strains, a margin of uncertainty remains.
Role of Nonprofits
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations has allocated up to $3.2 million to prepare materials for manufacturing. The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative in New York will handle the vaccine candidate's production. These organizations fill the gap left by pharmaceutical companies, which tend to neglect diseases with low financial return. As Courtney Woolsey, assistant professor at UTMB, notes, 'Nobody really makes money off these vaccines, so there are funding barriers as well.'
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Experience with Ervebo and successes of ring vaccination against the Sudan strain in 2025 offer hope. However, the lack of direct human testing could slow approval. Geisbert remains cautious but optimistic: 'Even if it's not used in this outbreak, hopefully there will be clinical material available for the next one.' The Bundibugyo vaccine case highlights gaps in global pandemic preparedness, similar to lessons learned from regulatory debates in AI. Read the related article on European AI lessons.
For scientific background, see the Wikipedia page on Ebola vaccines.
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/ebola-vaccine-sitting-on-shelf-for-15-years
