BARDA awards more than $20M for Marburg, Sudan ebolavirus vaccines

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) awarded the Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute Inc. of Washington, D.C., with about $20.5 million to develop vaccines against Marburg virus and Sudan ebolavirus infections.

Both diseases are caused by the same family of viruses as the Ebola virus, which is currently affecting communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“The Sabin Vaccine Institute’s use of a single well-established platform for the Sudan ebolavirus and Marburg vaccines will help to expedite the clinical development process so that the vaccines are available more rapidly,” BARDA Director Rick Bright said. “In addition, by supporting development of both vaccines simultaneously, BARDA is taking critical steps forward in protecting Americans from these potentially deadly viruses that could emerge and cause outbreaks at any time.”

BARDA is part of the Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.

With the award, the Sabin Vaccine Institute will conduct studies and complete manufacturing activities to advance the development of both vaccines. The Sudan ebolavirus vaccine candidate is the first for this virus strain to receive BARDA support. The Marburg vaccine candidate is the second to receive BARDA support.

The last Sudan ebolavirus outbreak took place in Uganda in 2012. It killed 57 percent of the people it infected. The most recent outbreaks of Marburg occurred in 2012, 2014 and 2017 in Uganda. In those outbreaks, about 25 percent of the people who were infected died.

BARDA is also supporting the development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics against the Ebola virus strain currently in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.