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 expertise 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 via preclinical improvement and into an early-stage medical trial to evaluate the immunogenicity and security of the vaccine candidate. The research in people, often known as a Section 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 completely different vaccine applied sciences to maximise the chance of growing a secure and efficient shot that might assist convey this devastating disaster beneath 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 energy 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 assist Minapharm’s Bundibugyo vaccine candidate: it should spherical out CEPI’s portfolio, give the world one other shot on aim, and advance Minapharm’s proprietary MVA platform, which if profitable can function the idea for future African-manufactured filovirus vaccines. The quicker we will advance a pipeline of promising candidates, the higher our probabilities of saving lives and bringing this epidemic beneath management.”
CEPI’s aim is to convey a minimum of two Bundibugyo vaccines to Emergency Use Authorisation and WHO Prequalification to reply to 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 energy of our capabilities throughout the total biologics continuum, from design and improvement via to manufacturing, in response to an pressing public-health risk. With CEPI’s assist, 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 the direction of medical analysis in response to an pressing public-health want.”
Dr Jean Kaseya, Director Common, 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 assist 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 beneath Good Manufacturing Follow (GMP) pointers. The drug substance is the energetic part of a vaccine which incorporates viral proteins that might prepare the immune system to recognise and battle a particular 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 amenities in Cairo, enabling absolutely native drug substance and drug product manufacturing.
The undertaking leverages greater than 25 years of Minapharm’s confirmed monitor file and expertise within the improvement, end-to-end manufacturing and commercialisation of advanced biologics in Africa.
If the Section 1 trial of the vaccine candidate is profitable, CEPI anticipates working with Minapharm and ProBioGen to assist late-stage trials to generate efficacy information 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 consequence from this undertaking might additionally lay the inspiration for the long run enlargement of Minapharm’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities, doubtlessly with assist from CEPI and different companions.
Thus far, CEPI’s Bundibugyo virus vaccine improvement programme receives funds from the European Fee via its 2026 grant beneath Horizon Europe to CEPI, the U.S. Division of State and CEPI’s present 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 in search of 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 could actually enter cells and categorical the vaccine antigens it carries, however can not multiply or unfold. ProBioGen’s platform combines the MVA-CR19 pressure with its AGE1 manufacturing cell line platform and TetherexX™ recombination expertise to assist 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 information has additionally been obtained in preclinical research of MVA vaccines focusing on Sudan ebolavirus, Marburg virus and different infectious illnesses. The expertise 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 reply to the Bundibugyo outbreak, saying its first Bundibugyo vaccine improvement partnerships simply two weeks after the declaration of the outbreak in mid-Might. CEPI has thus far 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 medical trial companions, is supporting a medical trial to judge potential therapies 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 improvement 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, personal, 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 in search of $2.5 billion to execute CEPI 3.0, its 2027-2031 technique which will systematically cut back the chance, influence and value of epidemics and pandemics by driving the 100 Days Mission in the direction of an operational actuality. Study 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 advanced 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 amenities and commercializes greater than 100 life-saving and life-enhancing merchandise. Its two biotechnology amenities 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 expertise, improvement and manufacturing. By means of its subsidiary, ProBioGen, the Group is a world supplier of proprietary applied sciences for vaccines, advanced 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 Alternate (EGX: MIPH). Study extra at minapharm.com
About ProBioGen
ProBioGen is a Berlin-based skilled within the improvement 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 strains and the IP-protected MVA-CR19 pressure, which has a novel genomic signature. Working for over 30 years, ProBioGen runs three manufacturing strains in Berlin, the place 300 workers contribute to advancing next-generation therapies and world biotech innovation. For extra details about ProBioGen, observe us on LinkedIn.
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