CEPI backs Minapharm’s Bundibugyo ebolavirus vaccine candidate, primarily based on ProBioGen’s proprietary MVA-CR19 platform
OSLO, Norway, CAIRO and BERLIN, Aug. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Main African biopharmaceutical firm Minapharm Group, headquartered in Egypt with subsidiaries in Berlin, will obtain as much as US$16.5 million from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Improvements (CEPI) to advance the event of a Bundibugyo ebolavirus vaccine candidate, strengthening efforts to develop vaccines to fight the fastest-growing and second-largest Ebola outbreak on file affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Minapharm’s Bundibugyo vaccine is designed by ProBioGen, a Berlin-based specialist inside Minapharm Group, primarily based on their proprietary modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine platform, MVA-CR19. The same know-how underpins a licensed vaccine in opposition to smallpox and mpox, and has elicited long-term immunity in a vaccine focusing on the associated Zaire ebolavirus.
CEPI’s funding will advance the Bundibugyo vaccine candidate by preclinical growth and into an early-stage scientific trial to evaluate the immunogenicity and security of the vaccine candidate. The examine in people, often known as a Part 1 trial, is predicted to happen in Africa.
Minapharm’s investigational vaccine turns into the fifth Bundibugyo-specific virus vaccine candidate supported by CEPI in response to the escalating epidemic. It joins a portfolio of promising CEPI-backed candidates* constructed on totally different vaccine applied sciences to maximise the probability of creating a secure and efficient shot that would assist convey this devastating disaster underneath management.
It’s the solely Bundibugyo vaccine candidate CEPI is funding that’s designed to induce each B- and T-cell responses for complete and long-lasting immunity.
“CEPI’s funding to Minapharm harnesses the rising power of African-led innovation to assist confront this more and more extreme outbreak and put together for future threats”, stated Dr Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI. “In simply three months, instances of Bundibugyo have unfold quickly throughout the DRC, making this the most important and deadliest outbreak the nation has ever confronted. We’re proud to help Minapharm’s Bundibugyo vaccine candidate: it’s going to spherical out CEPI’s portfolio, give the world one other shot on purpose, and advance Minapharm’s proprietary MVA platform, which if profitable can function the premise for future African-manufactured filovirus vaccines. The sooner we will advance a pipeline of promising candidates, the higher our possibilities of saving lives and bringing this epidemic underneath management.”
CEPI’s purpose is to convey at the least two Bundibugyo vaccines to Emergency Use Authorisation and WHO Prequalification to answer this outbreak, whereas additionally constructing readiness for future Bundibugyo epidemics.
Dr. Wafik Bardissi, Group Chairman and CEO of Minapharm and Chairman of ProBioGen, stated: “For greater than 25 years, Minapharm has constructed confirmed biologics capabilities in Egypt and, along with ProBioGen, established a cross-continental group mannequin combining scientific innovation, proprietary applied sciences and superior biomanufacturing.”
Dr. Bardissi added: “This programme demonstrates the power of our capabilities throughout the total biologics continuum, from design and growth by to manufacturing, in response to an pressing public-health menace. With CEPI’s help, we’re turning scientific ingenuity into well being sovereignty, drawing on the breadth of our applied sciences and know-how to advance a vaccine response for Africa.”
“ProBioGen’s MVA-CR19 platform was developed to allow speedy technology of recombinant MVA vaccine candidates and scalable manufacturing,” stated Dr Volker Sandig, Chief Scientific Officer of ProBioGen. “We’re proud to convey this platform and our CMC experience to a Minapharm-led programme supported by CEPI, serving to advance a Bundibugyo ebolavirus vaccine candidate in direction of scientific analysis in response to an pressing public-health want.”
Dr Jean Kaseya, Director Normal, Africa CDC, stated, “Bundibugyo virus is now driving the most important Ebola outbreak DRC has ever confronted. A vaccine candidate superior by an African firm is strictly the sort of functionality our continent wants – not only for this outbreak, however in order that Africa can develop and manufacture the instruments it wants to guard its personal individuals. We welcome CEPI’s help for Minapharm’s work as a concrete step towards that well being sovereignty.”
To develop the Bundibugyo-specific vaccine candidate, ProBioGen —a wholly-owned subsidiary of Minapharm primarily based in Germany—will generate the recombinant MVA drug substance underneath Good Manufacturing Apply (GMP) tips. The drug substance is the lively element of a vaccine which incorporates viral proteins that would prepare the immune system to recognise and combat a selected pathogen – on this case, Bundibugyo ebolavirus. The drug substance will then be shipped to Minapharm’s facility in Cairo, Egypt, to create the drug product – the completed vaccine combination which mixes the drug substance with different vaccine elements and packaging prepared for testing. In parallel, Minapharm plans to switch drug substance manufacturing to its biotechnology services in Cairo, enabling absolutely native drug substance and drug product manufacturing.
The undertaking leverages greater than 25 years of Minapharm’s confirmed observe file and expertise within the growth, end-to-end manufacturing and commercialisation of complicated biologics in Africa.
If the Part 1 trial of the vaccine candidate is profitable, CEPI anticipates working with Minapharm and ProBioGen to help late-stage trials to generate efficacy knowledge for emergency use authorisation and licensure. CEPI, Minapharm and ProBioGen are dedicated to enabling speedy, reasonably priced provide of the vaccine to affected international locations and to the populations that want them ought to it show secure and efficient.
A constructive final result from this undertaking may additionally lay the inspiration for the longer term enlargement of Minapharm’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities, probably with help from CEPI and different companions.
To this point, CEPI’s Bundibugyo virus vaccine growth programme receives funds from the European Fee by its 2026 grant underneath Horizon Europe to CEPI, the U.S. Division of State and CEPI’s current core funding.
Notes to Editors
CEPI’s funding was awarded to Minapharm for its Bundibugyo vaccine undertaking following its software to CEPI’s Call for Proposals searching for vaccine builders to advance the event of Bundibugyo vaccine candidates.
MVA-C19 platform
MVA-CR19 is ProBioGen’s proprietary modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine platform. MVA is a extremely attenuated poxvirus vector that’s replication-deficient in human cells: it will probably enter cells and categorical the vaccine antigens it carries, however can’t multiply or unfold. ProBioGen’s platform combines the MVA-CR19 pressure with its AGE1 manufacturing cell line platform and TetherexX™ recombination know-how to help speedy recombinant MVA technology and scalable manufacturing.
The MVA platform holds potential because it has a well-established safety profile in people. Alongside research demonstrating long-lasting immunity in individuals vaccinated with MVA-based mpox and Zaire ebolavirus vaccines, constructive knowledge has additionally been obtained in preclinical research of MVA vaccines focusing on Sudan ebolavirus, Marburg virus and different infectious illnesses. The know-how was additionally secure to be used in immunosuppressed individuals and people living with HIV vaccinated with MVA-based vaccines focusing on different illnesses.
CEPI’s response to the Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak
*CEPI has labored across the clock with its companions to answer the Bundibugyo outbreak, asserting its first Bundibugyo vaccine growth partnerships simply two weeks after the declaration of the outbreak in mid-Could. CEPI has up to now already invested in Bundibugyo vaccines being developed utilizing mRNA (Moderna), ChAdOx (the College of Oxford/ Serum Institute of India) and rVSV (IAVI with manufacturing by Hilleman Laboratories, and Public Well being Vaccines) applied sciences.
To speed up outbreak response efforts, CEPI has additionally activated its world networks of laboratories, producers and scientific trial companions, is supporting a scientific trial to judge potential remedies and fascinating regulators to align on vaccine approval pathways. In parallel, CEPI is working with companions together with affected international locations, Gavi, Africa CDC, WHO, UNICEF, the World Financial institution and growth finance establishments so the downstream circumstances wanted to allow equitable entry—together with procurement, allocation and deployment—are put in place.
About CEPI
CEPI is an modern partnership between public, non-public, philanthropic and civil organisations. Its mission is to speed up the event of vaccines and different biologic countermeasures in opposition to epidemic and pandemic threats to allow them to be accessible to all individuals in want. Central to CEPI’s pandemic-beating plan is the ’100 Days Mission’ to develop secure, efficient and accessible vaccines in opposition to new threats in simply 100 days. CEPI is searching for $2.5 billion to execute CEPI 3.0, its 2027-2031 technique which will systematically cut back the probability, influence and value of epidemics and pandemics by driving the 100 Days Mission in direction of an operational actuality. Be taught extra at CEPI.net.
About Minapharm
Minapharm is a number one pharmaceutical firm in Egypt and the Center East and the most important biopharmaceutical firm in Africa, with over 25 years of expertise in mobile and bioprocess engineering. Headquartered in Cairo, the Group develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad portfolio spanning complicated small molecules, recombinant proteins, and monoclonal antibodies, supported by an intensive pipeline of genetically engineered medicines and cell and gene therapies. Minapharm operates seven manufacturing services and commercializes greater than 100 life-saving and life-enhancing merchandise. Its two biotechnology services in Cairo are the area’s longest-established end-to-end drug substance and drug product operations, from cell line to completed vial. Along with its wholly owned Berlin-based subsidiary, ProBioGen AG, Minapharm has constructed an built-in biopharmaceutical mannequin spanning analysis, proprietary know-how, growth and manufacturing. By means of its subsidiary, ProBioGen, the Group is a worldwide supplier of proprietary applied sciences for vaccines, complicated proteins, and cell and gene therapies, which have contributed to a number of FDA-approved merchandise. Minapharm employs a mixed workforce of greater than 1,700 individuals and is listed on the Egyptian Trade (EGX: MIPH). Be taught extra at minapharm.com
About ProBioGen
ProBioGen is a Berlin-based knowledgeable within the growth and manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals, viral vectors, and vaccines, powered by proprietary applied sciences that improve product high quality and options. It has developed a number of modern vaccine platforms, together with Lenti.RiGHT®, AGE1 host cell traces and the IP-protected MVA-CR19 pressure, which has a singular genomic signature. Working for over 30 years, ProBioGen runs three manufacturing traces in Berlin, the place 300 staff contribute to advancing next-generation therapies and world biotech innovation. For extra details about ProBioGen, comply with us on LinkedIn.
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