International Trial Opens Enrolment for Bundibugyo Virus Treatment Evaluation
In a major international effort to evaluate potential treatments for Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus (BVD), the PARTNERS clinical trial has opened enrolment today for patients in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The PARTNERS trial will assess the effectiveness of two antiviral therapies – a monoclonal antibody (MBP134) and remdesivir – in improving survival among people diagnosed with BVD. It will also evaluate the potential benefits of combining the two antivirals.
Since the outbreak began, over 1400 people have been diagnosed with BVD, with nearly 210 recoveries and 440 deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The trial is sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and coordinated by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in collaboration with international research, clinical, and humanitarian partners.
‘Even without approved therapeutics, people are recovering from this disease, but effective treatments could save many more lives,’ said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
The trial is designed as a platform trial, allowing for the addition of new potential treatments as they become available.
