WHO Initiates Clinical Trial for New Ebola Treatment in DR Congo
A major international clinical trial aimed at finding effective treatments for Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a rare form of Ebola, has commenced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The World Health Organization (WHO) said this in a statement on Thursday. The development, according to the statement, raises hopes for improved survival during the country’s ongoing outbreak.
“The Platform Adaptive Randomised Trial for New and Repurposed Filovirus Treatments (PARTNERS) began enrolling patients on Thursday.
“To assess whether two antiviral therapies, monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir can reduce deaths among people infected with Bundibugyo virus disease,” it said.
It noted that the WHO and the trial sponsor coordinated the exercise, which was being coordinated by the Institut National pour la Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in the DRC, the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Belgium, and the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
It was supported by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and other international research, clinical, and humanitarian partners.
“Researchers will also examine whether combining MBP134 and remdesivir provides greater therapeutic benefits than using either treatment alone, a strategy that could improve outcomes for patients battling the deadly disease.
“The trial comes as the DRC continues to grapple with a Bundibugyo virus outbreak that has infected more than 1,400 people. Nearly 210 patients have recovered, while about 440 people have died, underscoring the urgent need for effective treatment options.
“Although medicines have been developed to treat some forms of Ebola virus disease, there are currently no approved therapies specifically for Bundibugyo virus disease, and no single treatment has proven effective against all Ebola virus species,” it said.
According to it, the WHO Technical Advisory Group selected MBP134 and remdesivir for evaluation after reviewing available scientific evidence, including laboratory studies, safety data, and lessons from previous Ebola outbreaks.
“Trial participants will receive close medical supervision and follow-up for at least 28 days after enrolment.
It quoted WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus as saying the trial offers hope for patients and affected communities despite the absence of approved therapeutics for the disease.
It added that Ghebreyesus noted that while some patients recover without specific treatment, effective medicines could save many more lives.
“The PARTNERS trial, established with national authorities and scientific partners in record time, offers real hope that we can deliver concrete results for—and with—the communities at the heart of the outbreak,” it quoted Ghebreyesus
It said that the adaptive platform design of the study allowed researchers to introduce and evaluate additional treatments as they became available, enabling the trial to respond quickly to emerging scientific evidence during the outbreak.
It also quoted Prof. Amanda Rojek, PARTNERS Trial Operations Lead at the Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford, saying one of the major lessons from previous outbreaks was that research must be conducted alongside emergency response efforts rather than after they have ended.
According to the statement, she said the trial would generate evidence quickly enough to guide patient care during the current outbreak, potentially providing answers within months instead of years.
It said that Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) Director-General Prof. Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum said integrating the trial into routine patient care would allow people affected by the disease to access promising investigational therapies while helping scientists generate evidence to improve responses to future outbreaks.
It quoted him as saying that a randomised controlled study was enrolling patients of all ages with confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease.
“In addition to investigational medicines, participants will receive standard supportive treatment, including intravenous or oral fluids, electrolyte replacement, oxygen therapy, blood pressure management and pain relief in accordance with WHO treatment guidelines,” it quoted him
It said that DRC Minister of Health Dr Samuel Kamba described the launch of the PARTNERS trial as a significant milestone for the country’s public health response, expressing confidence that the findings could identify more effective therapies, save lives during the current outbreak and strengthen global preparedness for future Ebola epidemics. #WHO Initiates Clinical Trial for New Ebola Treatment in DR Congo#
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