CEPI: Tumaini Phase 2/3 Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine trial nears start in DR Congo
On 13 October 2026 CEPI said final preparations are underway for Tumaini, an adaptive Phase 2/3 ring-vaccination platform trial of candidates against Bundibugyo virus — for which no licensed vaccine exists — subject to ethics and regulatory approval.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) said on 13 October 2026 that final preparations are underway for Tumaini (“hope” in Swahili), a pivotal Phase 2/3 clinical trial of vaccine candidates against Bundibugyo virus (BDBV) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Subject to ethical and regulatory approval, the trial is expected to begin in the coming weeks.
Why it matters
There is no approved vaccine specifically against Bundibugyo virus disease. Ervebo is licensed for Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) but not for BDBV. WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Candidate Vaccine Prioritisation (TAG-CVP) has recommended prioritizing Ervebo for Phase 3 evaluation in this setting, with BDBV-specific candidates (including Moderna and University of Oxford / Serum Institute of India programmes still in Phase 1) to enter as they become available. Ervebo is likely to be first into Tumaini.
Design
Tumaini is an adaptive platform trial using ring vaccination of contacts of confirmed cases (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07842107). Co-sponsors are the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) and the University of Antwerp; the DRC Ministry of Health leads nationally. WHO, Africa CDC, Epicentre, MSF and others support implementation; CEPI funds the Bundibugyo vaccine development programme.
Limitations
The announcement describes preparations, not efficacy results. Start depends on ethics/regulatory clearance. Outbreak case counts change rapidly and should be checked against WHO updates. This is not personal medical advice.
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