African Institutions' Readiness to Conduct Phase 1 Bundibugyo Vaccine Trials

• Database published of 45 African clinical trial units' readiness to conduct Phase 1 trials of Bundibugyo vaccines.
• Resource will help to connect leading African research institutions with Bundibugyo vaccine developers, accelerating vaccine development.

5 August 2025; OSLO, ADDIS ABABA:The speed at which clinical trials can be activated in an outbreak is essential to an efficient outbreak R&D response. That’s why, together with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has published a database of comprehensive information on 45 African clinical trial units across 17 African countries' capability to conduct Phase 1 trials to accelerate development of safe, effective Bundibugyo ebolavirus vaccines. 

The publicly accessible resource will help to connect leading African research institutions with Bundibugyo vaccine developers seeking to conduct early-stage clinical trials on the continent. Data were gathered through a Request for Information, which invited institutions across the continent to submit information. 

Details on each site, including self-reported prior experience, facilities, regulatory track record and operational capabilities, are available here. 

“Africa has the scientific expertise, infrastructure and leadership to drive vaccine research on the continent. This database gives developers a clear pathway to experienced African clinical trial sites and enables faster action when every day matters. Africa CDC is committed to building a research ecosystem that protects our people, strengthens health security and places African institutions at the centre of solutions to Africa’s health emergencies,” said H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC.

Well-established research networks, as well as emerging centres of excellence across the continent, submitted detailed responses to the Request for Information. All of these sites reported experience in conducting Phase 1 vaccine trials, and in many cases these institutions also bring:

• Extensive experience conducting clinical research on epidemic pathogens including Ebola, mpox, Marburg, Lassa and Rift Valley fever.
• Standardised electronic data management systems compatible with sponsor requirements. 
• Mature quality assurance systems.
• Established ethical and regulatory review processes as well as Data Safety Monitoring Board oversight.
• Community engagement infrastructure essential for rapid, ethical recruitment and retention of participants during an outbreak response.

 "In an outbreak, every day counts. Rapid vaccine development depends on clinical trial systems that are ready to activate. Improving the visibility of Phase 1 trial-ready sites across Africa will help connect vaccine developers with capable sites faster, meaning vaccines can be tested in Africa for African populations, while also enabling studies to start quickly and strengthening the overall effectiveness of outbreak response," said Dr Nicole Lurie, Executive Director, Preparedness and Response at CEPI.

Clinical trials capacity in Africa has been built over time, collectively, through partnerships between African research institutions, governments and partners in the clinical research ecosystem. However, while Africa is home to nearly 20 percent of the world’s population, less than five percent of clinical trials take place in Africa. Continued investment in clinical trials strengthening is needed to increase the volume of clinical trials conducted on the continent and ensure robust data can be generated to support efficient outbreak R&D responses, like the current Bundibugyo ebolavirus.

The Bundibugyo epidemic unfolding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda is already the second largest Ebola outbreak in recorded history. CEPI, Africa CDC and partners are coordinating an urgent R&D response to develop vaccines and other medical countermeasures that could help curtail the outbreak, save lives, and ensure the world is better prepared if Bundibugyo emerges again in the future. Phase 1 trials underpin vaccine development; they are the foundational first step for human testing, determining whether a promising lab concept can safely proceed to broader clinical evaluation. By publishing this information openly, CEPI and Africa CDC are enabling vaccine developers with candidates ready for Phase 1 testing to rapidly identify and activate partnerships with African sites, according to their requirements.

The analysis was undertaken through a structured Request for Information which captured self-reported, standardised information on core domains including prior Phase 1 experience, geographic reach and community engagement, facilities and infrastructure, quality systems, regulatory and ethics compliance, clinical and scientific expertise, participant safety and risk management and Material Transfer Agreement processes. This database enables developers to conduct rapid, informed screening of which sites best match their trial needs.

The complete Request for Information responses and summary of the 45 sites' capabilities are publicly available here.  

Vaccine developers and sponsors interested in partnering with any of the institutions are encouraged to carefully review the site information package before engaging directly with sites on trial design, timelines and ethics and regulatory requirements.

ENDS

Note to editors: 

CEPI published a Request for Information on Phase I Units in Africa and received 45 responses from 17 countries. We have compiled the information in a Summary Report and a searchable database. This is not an endorsement or a recommendation for any site. Developers/sponsors of clinical trials should conduct their own feasibility assessments and site pre-qualification visits according to their own selection criteria. 

You can access this via the following links: 

• African Phase I Clinical Trial Units: Request For Information (RFI) Summary
• Request for Information database (ZIP file) - please click to download and unzip the file, which will then operate as a browser-based interactive database. 

About CEPI

CEPI is a global partnership between public, private, philanthropic and civil organisations. Its mission is to accelerate the development of vaccines and other biologic countermeasures against epidemic and pandemic threats so they can be accessible to all people in need. Central to CEPI’s pandemic-beating plan is the ‘100 Days Mission’ - the goal to develop safe, effective and accessible vaccines against new threats in just 100 days. CEPI is seeking $2.5 billion to execute CEPI 3.0, its 2027-2031 strategy, which will systematically reduce the likelihood, impact and cost of epidemics and pandemics by driving the 100 Days Mission towards an operational reality. Learn more at CEPI.net.  

About Africa CDC

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is the public health agency of the African Union. As an autonomous institution, Africa CDC supports African Union Member States to strengthen health systems, improve disease surveillance, and enhance emergency preparedness and response. For more information, visit www.africacdc.org and follow Africa CDC on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and YouTube.