You are invited to take part in a study to investigate a new vaccine against Bundibugyo ebolavirus. The study is being led by the Oxford Vaccine Group, which is part of the University of Oxford. The study will take place at the University Hospital Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton.

If you are aged between 18 and 55 years, in good health and able to attend regular face-to-face visits in Southampton, you may be eligible to take part. We will reimburse you up to £1,200 for group 1 and up to £790 for group 2 for your time, travel and inconvenience. The study will last for one year.

Background

On 17th May 2026 the World Health Organisation declared a public health emergency of international concern after cases of severe fever and death were detected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The emergency is being caused by Bundibugyo virus (BVD), which is a species of Ebola virus. Like all species of Ebola, BVD causes a severe and often fatal infection in humans. Normally carried by fruit bats, it can cross over into humans through contact with infected animals. Once this occurs, it can then spread from person to person through direct contact with infected body fluids.

The University of Oxford has developed a potential vaccine, called ChAdOx1 Ebola BDBV Vaccine (Recombinant), which may provide protection against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. The vaccine has been produced with similar technology to that used for the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. This study will be the first time that ChAdOx1 Ebola BDBV Vaccine (Recombinant) has been given to humans.

We aim to confirm the vaccine’s safety and investigate the immune response to vaccination.

Study details

If you are eligible and decide to take part, you will receive one dose or two doses of the vaccine depending on group allocation. The first 10 participants will be in Group 1 and will receive the vaccine, which includes a first dose and a 6-month booster. The following 40 participants will be in Group 2 and will receive either a single dose of the vaccine or a saltwater placebo. Based on the group you are in, you will be asked to attend up to 12 face-to-face appointments at the University Hospital Southampton. You will be followed up for one year after vaccination.  During the study visits, you will have blood tests and be reviewed by a study clinician at each visit to check the safety of the vaccine and your immune response. You will be asked to record any symptoms following vaccination in an electronic diary.

All visits will take place at the NIHR Clinical Research Facility, University Hospital Southampton,Tremona Road, Southampton SO16 6YD.

Further Information

If you would like to find out more, please read the Participant Information Sheet:

If you have further questions after reading this, please contact us on:

CRFstudyteam@uhs.nhs.uk

or

02380 214989

Register your interest

If you have read the Participant Information Sheet and are interested in joining the study, please complete the online screening questions below.