More than 250 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo have joined a clinical trial testing whether an experimental drug can prevent Ebola after exposure to the virus.
The study is taking place in Ituri province, the centre of the country’s ongoing outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. The drug, an antiviral pill called obeldesivir, is being tested as a form of post-exposure prevention for people who have recently been in contact with someone confirmed to have the disease.
The trial is still underway. Researchers have not yet established whether the drug works, and it is not an approved treatment for preventing Bundibugyo Ebola.
The study, known as EBO-PEP, began in July and aims to enrol nearly 1,000 people aged 12 and above.
Participants must have had a high-risk contact with a confirmed Ebola case within the previous five days and must not yet have symptoms. They are monitored daily for 21 days, with a further follow-up planned at 42 days.
Researchers are examining whether taking obeldesivir soon after exposure can reduce the chance of developing the disease.
The trial includes people such as healthcare workers and relatives of patients who may have been exposed while caring for an infected family member.
Why This Drug Matters
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no licensed vaccine or specific approved treatment.
A vaccine used in previous outbreaks, Ervebo, has been given to some frontline workers, but its effectiveness against the Bundibugyo strain in humans remains uncertain. The World Health Organization has recommended that its use for this strain remain within research protocols.
That makes the search for additional ways to protect people after exposure particularly important.
Congo’s Ebola Outbreak Remains a Major Concern
The outbreak was declared in May 2026 and has spread across several provinces. A WHO update published in September reported thousands of confirmed cases and deaths, with Ituri remaining the most affected province.
The latest Associated Press report says more than 8,300 confirmed cases, including about 4,000 deaths, have been recorded since the outbreak began. These figures reflect the situation reported in that article and may change as health authorities update their records.
Researchers Say Results Are Still Needed
The experiences of people taking part have brought hope to families affected by the outbreak. But individual accounts cannot establish whether a drug is effective. That requires the full clinical trial results and scientific review.
The EBO-PEP study is one of several research efforts underway. A separate trial, known as PARTNERS, is testing potential treatments for people who have already developed Bundibugyo Ebola disease.
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