Recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus expressing Ebola virus glycoprotein (rVSV-EBOV), a new Ebola vaccine

Ebola virus (EBOV) causes outbreaks of lethal febrile illness in Africa, the largest of which resulted in over 11,000 deaths and represented a global public health threat. A new biomedical countermeasure, the recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus expressing EBOV glycoprotein (rVSV-EBOV) has been licensed (Ervebo; Merck & Co.). rVSV-EBOV is a replicative viral vaccine engineered to express EBOV antigen. Following rapid development stimulated by the large West African epidemic, an open-label, cluster-randomized ring vaccination trial called Ebola Ca Suffit! in Guinea and Sierra Leone demonstrated strong efficacy. The vaccine has a good safety profile, but is associated with self-limited arthritis and rash in a minority of recipients. rVSV-EBOV is highly immunogenic after a single intramuscular dose with antibody titers persisting for at least 2 years. In the recent outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, rVSV-EBOV was administered to more than 300,000 individuals and may have contributed, at least in part, to controlling the epidemic.