HHS partnership advances experimental Ebola drug

One of the USA’s centers dedicated to developing and manufacturing drugs and vaccines for emergencies will produce a novel therapeutic drug to treat Ebola virus disease under a task order issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

This is the first task order to a Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing (CIADM) and will support the ongoing global public health response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, according to the HHS.

“Preventing, detecting and treating Ebola infections remain critical not only for the current epidemic in West Africa but also to minimize the impacts of future outbreaks,” explained Robin Robinson, director of the HHS’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), the office that will oversee the program, adding: “The development of this experimental drug represents significant progress in making Ebola therapeutics available. Our CIADM partners have the expertise, capacity, and state-of-the-art facilities required to make promising therapeutic candidates quickly.”