**Experimental Vaccines and Therapeutics for Marburg Virus Heading to Rwanda Amid Growing Outbreak**

Efforts to combat the deadly Marburg virus are intensifying as Rwanda prepares to receive shipments of experimental vaccines and therapeutics this weekend. According to a U.S. government official, these medical resources will be utilized in forthcoming clinical trials, with expectations to commence soon.

Currently, there are no approved vaccines or drugs available to prevent or treat Marburg virus infections, which are closely related to Ebola and result in similarly high fatality rates. The latest outbreak in Rwanda has so far resulted in 41 cases, including 12 deaths. Notably, over 80% of the detected cases have occurred among healthcare workers, largely from a major health facility in Kigali, Rwanda's capital.

Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana announced at a press conference organized by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention that the trials are set to begin imminently. "We are aiming to start within days," Nsanzimana emphasized. He further highlighted the urgent need to save the lives of healthcare providers battling this outbreak.

The design specifics of the trials remain unclear, but Rwanda is set to have at least two therapeutic options available. Gilead Sciences is providing 5,000 doses of its antiviral drug remdesivir, known commercially as Veklury, which is approved in the U.S. as a COVID-19 treatment and has previously been tested against Ebola. Additionally, Mapp Biopharmaceutical's experimental monoclonal antibody, MBP-091, will be available for use.

The U.S. government is also contributing by supplying doses of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, financially supported by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). The single-dose vaccine, which was initially designed by the National Institutes of Health's Vaccine Research Center and is now developed by the nonprofit Sabin Vaccine Institute, will see 700 doses sent to Rwanda. This vaccine is noted to be the most advanced in development, with ongoing Phase 2 trials in Uganda and Kenya.

Nancy Sullivan of Boston University's National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, who contributed to the vaccine's design during her tenure at the VRC, expressed satisfaction with the rapid response capabilities developed by the World Health Organization and partners for rare diseases like Marburg. "I'm gratified that the work that WHO has done has put the field in the position to be able to respond to an outbreak," Sullivan stated.

Amy Finan, CEO of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, echoed this sentiment, praising the coordination and readiness to initiate new trials. "I think there are a number of pieces that came together in order to move at lightning speed," Finan remarked, citing the pre-existing Phase 2 trial documentation and the availability of vaccine doses as significant advantages.

Despite plans by other entities such as IAVI - the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative - to develop Marburg vaccines, they currently have no doses available for immediate use. Oxford University's Oxford Vaccine Center is also working on a Marburg vaccine but has yet to confirm the status or availability of their doses.

Finan also praised the Rwandan government's swift actions to address the outbreak, which was confirmed at the end of last week. "Rwanda has the health infrastructure to support being able to move quite quickly. And I think that has really helped us," she noted.

The collaborative effort between international organizations and the Rwandan health authorities aims to curtail what is now one of the largest Marburg outbreaks recorded, underscoring the urgent need to protect healthcare workers and prevent further spread.