CEPI partners with Hilleman Laboratories to advance Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine for clinical trials

SINGAPORE—The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has partnered with Hilleman Laboratories to advance the development and manufacture of a vaccine candidate against the Bundibugyo ebolavirus for clinical trials.

Under the agreement, CEPI will provide up to US$8.5 million  to Hilleman Laboratories, a Singapore-based joint venture between biopharmaceutical company MSD and charitable foundation Wellcome.

The funding will support development and production of clinical trial doses using the recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) vaccine platform.

The initiative comes as scientists intensify efforts to address a major Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak, with cases rising rapidly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Accelerating vaccine development

Hilleman Laboratories will initially advance an rVSV Bundibugyo vaccine candidate developed from starting material generated by IAVI with CEPI funding.

The organisation will use its expertise in the rVSV platform to finalise the manufacturing process and produce vaccine doses for clinical trials.

If early-stage trials are successful, the partners plan to transfer the technology to a large-scale vaccine manufacturer.

This approach could support the production of additional doses for later-stage trials and, if authorised, help establish an affordable supply for outbreak-affected countries and other low- and middle-income settings.

“Cases are rising at worrying speed, and the epidemic is fast becoming a humanitarian crisis,” said Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI.

“No vaccine is currently approved against the virus, so we are urgently advancing vaccine candidates into testing.”

The candidate uses the rVSV platform employed in the licensed Zaire ebolavirus vaccine.

According to Hatchett, combining this technology with Hilleman Laboratories’ and MSD’s manufacturing expertise could provide an important tool for controlling future Bundibugyo outbreaks.

MSD will provide Hilleman Laboratories with technical advice and proprietary scientific and manufacturing expertise related to the rVSV platform.

Building on existing Ebola vaccine technology

Hilleman Laboratories will also adapt an updated manufacturing process being developed for MSD’s World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified Zaire ebolavirus vaccine.

The process aims to increase vaccine yields and improve thermostability, potentially reducing costs and allowing refrigerated storage for several months, subject to regulatory review and public health requirements.

CEPI announced up to US$30 million earlier this year to support the manufacturing process improvements for the Zaire ebolavirus vaccine.

“Drawing on the latest vaccine technology and our ongoing development work, we’re racing to develop a Bundibugyo vaccine and make doses for clinical trials,” said Raman Rao, CEO of Hilleman Laboratories.

Chirfi Guindo, MSD Shareholder Executive Leader at Hilleman Laboratories, said cross-sector collaboration was essential to addressing unmet global health needs and strengthening epidemic preparedness.

Wellcome’s Head of Vaccines, Charlie Weller, said a new vaccine should complement surveillance, community engagement, diagnostics and treatments in responding to Bundibugyo outbreaks.

Hilleman Laboratories contributes to Singapore’s biomedical sciences ecosystem through vaccine research, development, and manufacturing focused on outbreak preparedness.

In May 2026, Singapore pledged US$12 million to support CEPI’s efforts to strengthen global preparedness for epidemic and pandemic threats.