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A weekly development news platform published by UrgeDevWire, produced by Urge Communications. Covering wider East African region.

Inside Health News Desk| East Africa. Urge- DevWire

WHO launches trial testing antiviral drug to prevent Ebola after exposure

Bunia and Geneva, 14 July 2026

The World Health Organization confirmed the launch of a clinical trial testing obeldesivir, an oral antiviral developed by Gilead Sciences, as post exposure prophylaxis against Bundibugyo virus among people who had direct contact with confirmed cases within the preceding five days but show no symptoms. The trial, known as EBO PEP, is being conducted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda and aims to enrol close to 1,000 participants aged 12 and older at centres adjacent to Ebola treatment facilities in Bunia and Rwampara.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that if obeldesivir proves effective among high risk contacts after exposure, it could mark a major step forward in outbreak response, given that no licensed vaccine or treatment currently exists for the Bundibugyo strain. The trial is expected to run for several months and potentially into 2027 before yielding conclusive results.

The trial operates alongside a separate WHO backed study, known as PARTNERS, which began enrolment on 2 July and is testing the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral remdesivir among people already infected, led by the Institut National de Recherche Biomedicale in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Source: World Health Organization.

Inside Health News Desk| East Africa. Urge- DevWire