Researchers have launched a clinical trial in eastern Congo to test two potential Ebola treatments as health officials seek to contain the deadly Bundibugyo virus outbreak.
Congo Ebola researchers have begun testing experimental treatments as the country battles a growing outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
The clinical trial started this month at the Evangelical Medical Centre in Bunia, eastern Congo. Health workers launched the study while continuing to treat patients arriving at the Ebola treatment centre.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the current outbreak has infected more than 1,400 people and claimed 438 lives.
Trial tests two treatments
The WHO announced that the first patient has joined the study.
Researchers are evaluating the antiviral drug remdesivir, the experimental antibody treatment MBP134, and a combination of both.
They will monitor each participant for 28 days after treatment begins to determine whether the therapies improve survival.
The WHO is conducting the study with Congo’s National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB), the University of Oxford, the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp and other international health partners.
Focus on confirmed patients
For now, the trial includes only patients with confirmed Ebola infections who are receiving treatment at specialised centres.
Later phases will include healthcare workers, close contacts and other people considered at high risk of infection.
Professor Placide Mbala said the research could continue for three to six months, depending on how the outbreak develops.
Residents hope for progress
Many residents in Bunia welcomed the launch of the trial.
Audrey Tengetenge described the research as a “light at the end of the tunnel” and said she hoped it would help bring the outbreak under control.
Ebola survivor Gladys Munguro also expressed support for the study. She said she witnessed other patients die while receiving treatment and hopes the new therapies will improve survival rates.
Munguro added that she plans to volunteer when researchers begin testing high-risk individuals.
Challenges remain
However, health officials continue to face significant challenges.
Some residents remain sceptical about experimental treatments and have expressed concerns over their safety.
In addition, overcrowded treatment centres, delayed medical care and insecurity continue to slow the response.
According to Congo’s National Institute of Public Health, nearly three out of four Ebola deaths during the current outbreak occur outside healthcare facilities.
Officials currently offer the trial only at Bunia’s Evangelical Medical Centre. They plan to expand it to other locations when security conditions allow.
