Moderna has started first-in-human testing of its mRNA vaccine against Bundibugyo Ebola virus (BDBV), now causing the worst-ever outbreak of the disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The first doses of the mRNA-1469 candidate have already been administered in the phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers, which is underway at three sites in Canada. It comes shortly after a study of another BDBV vaccine developed at Oxford University, ChAdOx1 BDBV, started in the UK. It will also help to fund the manufacture of additional clinical trial doses if mRNA-1469 moves into later-stage clinical testing. "If licensed, Moderna is committed to enabling rapid supply and access of its BDBV vaccine to affected countries and to the populations that need them," said the company in a statement.