Key facts
- A trial of Ebola vaccines has begun in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- The trial uses Merck & Co.'s Ervebo vaccine and an experimental alternative from Moderna.
- The vaccines are being tested against the strain driving a deadly outbreak in Africa.
A crucial trial for vaccines targeting the Ebola strain responsible for a deadly outbreak across Africa has commenced in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The epidemic originated in the DRC, which has recorded the majority of cases and fatalities. The first participant received a dose of Merck & Co.'s Ervebo vaccine on Friday in Bunia, eastern Congo. Ervebo is approved for a different Ebola species, while an experimental alternative developed by Moderna specifically for the Bundibugyo strain is also part of the trial.
