Race Against Time: What We Know About Ebola Vaccine Being Developed By Oxford And Serum Institute

Last Updated:May 26, 2026, 17:45 IST

Ebola Vaccine: Scientists from the University of Oxford said that early-stage vaccine development is moving quickly.

Oxford University researchers, working with global partners including the Pune-based Serum Institute of India, are rapidly advancing vaccine and treatment candidates for a new strain of Ebola linked to outbreaks across parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan. Scientists from the University of Oxford said that early-stage vaccine development is moving quickly, with hopes that clinical-grade doses could be ready within two to three months, pending successful pre-clinical progress.

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How Fast Is Ebola Vaccine Development Moving?

Prof Teresa Lambe, Head of Vaccine Immunology at the Oxford Vaccine Group told Indian Express, “Animal studies for the Oxford vaccine candidate are already under way and will be progressing with partners around the world. Serum Institute of India is an organisation that goes far and fast. So we are hoping to have clinical grade vaccine doses ready within two to three months."

What Technology Is Ebola Vaccine Based On?

Prof Lambe said the vaccine effort is built on the ChAdOx platform, the same adenoviral vector technology used in Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine, which has allowed researchers to significantly speed up development timelines. The platform’s existing safety and immune-response data has helped accelerate early-stage research and manufacturing preparation.

The current candidate is designed as a single-dose vaccine, similar to the licensed Ebola Zaire shot. Scientists are aiming to trigger both antibody and T-cell responses for protection, though researchers caution that long-term immunity against the Bundibugyo strain is still not fully understood.

How Severe Is Current Ebola Outbreak?

The outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo Ebolavirus strain, has spread across a wide region in central and eastern Africa. World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the situation is “outpacing response efforts," with suspected deaths rising significantly in recent weeks.

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The urgency has triggered coordinated global efforts involving manufacturing partners such as CEPI and Oxford’s biomanufacturing facilities, along with accelerated regulatory planning in affected countries.

What Other Treatments Are Being Tested?

Alongside vaccine development, Oxford scientists have launched the PARTNERS trial, a multi-country clinical platform designed to rapidly evaluate Ebola treatments, including monoclonal antibodies and antiviral drugs.

Dr Amanda Rojek, Associate Professor of Health Emergencies at Oxford’s Pandemic Sciences Institute, said the trial is designed to operate in outbreak conditions while maintaining strict safety standards.

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