The World Health Organization launched a clinical trial of two potential treatments for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This trial represents a critical effort to curb a worsening outbreak of a rare Ebola strain. Because the Bundibugyo variant differs from more common strains, the safety and efficacy of existing therapeutics must be verified to prevent further loss of life.

The clinical trial began on Thursday, June 25 [1]. According to the WHO, the study will assess the safety and efficacy of two investigational therapeutics against the Bundibugyo strain [2]. A WHO spokesperson said, "Today, the clinical trial of two therapeutics began" [3].

The launch comes as the health crisis in DR Congo escalates. Reports on the scale of the outbreak vary, with confirmed cases estimated between 1,176 [4] and more than 1,460 [5]. Similarly, the death toll is reported between 306 [4] and 447 [5].

The WHO is prioritizing the evaluation of these two investigational treatments [6] to determine if they can effectively reduce mortality rates. The trial is being conducted in response to the increasing number of infections and deaths across the region.

Health officials are monitoring the situation closely as they deploy these experimental drugs. The success of the trial could provide a blueprint for treating rare Ebola strains in future outbreaks, a necessity for regional health security.

“The trial will assess the safety and efficacy of two investigational therapeutics against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.”

The initiation of these trials underscores the specific challenge posed by the Bundibugyo strain, which may not respond to treatments developed for the Zaire strain. By testing multiple therapeutics simultaneously during an active outbreak, the WHO is attempting to rapidly identify a viable medical countermeasure to prevent the current surge from becoming a larger regional epidemic.