Ebola Vaccine Regimen Gains WHO Recommendation

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) announced it 'welcomes the recommendation by the World Health Organization (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization for the Janssen Ebola vaccine regimen, Zabdeno® (Ad26.ZEBOV) and Mvabea® (MVA-BN-Filo).

The Janssen Ebola vaccine therapy consists of two components; Zabdeno is given first, and Mvabea is administered approximately 8-weeks later as a booster. This therapy can be deployed during Ebola outbreaks for individuals at risk of exposure and preventively, before outbreaks, for national and international first responders.

J&J stated on June 4, 2021, 'this recommendation is an important milestone for our Ebola vaccine and our mission to help prevent and control Ebola outbreaks. It follows Marketing Authorisation by the European Commission in July 2020 and WHO Prequalification in April 2021.'

'We are now focused on securing national registrations for the vaccine in Ebola-affected countries in Africa.'

The frequency of Ebola outbreaks in Africa continued into 2021.

The first Ebola virus disease outbreak occurred in remote villages in Central Africa, near tropical rainforests, in 1976. The 12th Ebola virus disease outbreak was declared in February 2021.

The Ebola virus is a zoonotic pathogen that causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans, known as Ebola virus disease, says the U.S. CDC. The virus first spreads to people through direct contact with animals' blood, body fluids, and tissues. Ebola virus then spreads to other people through direct contact with body fluids of a sick person with or who has died from EVD. 

The Johnson & Johnson Ebola vaccine regimen was developed and is manufactured using Janssen’s proprietary AdVac® viral vector technology. To date, more than 235,000 people have received at least the first dose of the Ebola vaccine, including 190,000 who have been fully vaccinated with both doses.

At New Brunswick, NJ-based J&J, more than 130,000 employees worldwide are blending heart, science, and ingenuity to profoundly change the trajectory of health for humanity.