In a major stride toward continental health security, Nigeria’s Helix Biogen Institute has announced its participation in a strategic pan-African consortium aimed at accelerating the development of a vaccine candidate against the Ebola Bundibugyo virus.
The initiative is a direct response to a recent call for proposals by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which targets rapid vaccine deployment against high-priority pathogens.
The consortium brings together top-tier scientists and research institutions from Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa. Crucially, the initiative is backed by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention ,Africa CDC, signaling a unified continental effort to build a resilient defenses against emerging infectious disease threats.
In a statement released by Dr. Oladipo Elijah Kolawole, Head of Research and Development at Helix Biogen Institute, the partnership represents a paradigm shift in how the continent handles health crises.
Dr. Kolawole who stated that the initiative represents a significant step toward strengthening Africa’s capacity to develop locally led solutions for emerging infectious disease threats explained that together the team is helping shape a future where Africa develops and delivers solutions for Africa and the world.
This is not Helix Biogen Institute’s first foray into global vaccine development. The indigenous research institute previously gained international acclaim when its COVID-19 vaccine candidate was formally recognized on the World Health Organization (WHO) Draft Landscape of COVID-19 Candidate Vaccines.
Building on that global track record, the institute is leveraging its molecular biology and bioinformatics expertise to tackle the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola,a pathogen that has historically caused severe hemorrhagic fever outbreaks on the continent.
The collaboration aligns with Africa CDC’s broader vision of manufacturing 60% of the continent’s vaccine needs locally by 2040, transforming Africa from a consumer to a producer of cutting-edge biomedical innovations.
Health Officials in Congo said confirmed cases in the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo have reached 1,003, including 254 death while tracing those who had been in contact with patients remains a major challenge.
A total of 100 people have recovered in the outbreak concentrated in the Ituri province since it was declared on May 15. At least 365 patients are in hospitals or in isolation.
