The organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has claimed that fair and non-discriminatory access to the three candidate treatments for Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus —MBP134, remdesivir, and obeldesivir— should be guaranteed in case they prove to be effective.
This is stated in a report released this Thursday by MSF, where the access obstacles related to these three candidates are examined, which are being tested in the clinical trials "PARTNERS" and "EBO-PEP" in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
MSF emphasizes that the three potential treatments are developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical (MBP134) and Gilead Sciences (remdesivir and obeldesivir), and reminds that their development and/or clinical evaluation is supported by public funds and philanthropic contributions.
The document highlights that the publicly available information on prices, licensing agreements, supply capacity, and access conditions once the trials are completed remains "very limited," despite repeated requests for greater transparency.
According to the NGO, previous experience with Ebola indicates that success in clinical outcomes "does not guarantee by itself" equitable access and that "it can lead again to delays, limited supplies, and a dependence on one-time donations that restrict the availability of treatment."
The report aims to serve as a reference for pharmaceutical companies developing medications, health policy makers, funders, UN agencies, and civil society organizations. Its goal is to describe the current situation of therapeutic options against the Bundibugyo virus, highlight the main concerns regarding access, and propose recommendations to ensure equitable access if these candidates prove effective.
"As clinical trials of a series of promising therapies against the Bundibugyo virus progress, a window of opportunity opens to ensure that any effective tool is accessible to those who need it most. The experience of previous Ebola outbreaks has shown that scientific progress alone is not enough," said the Deputy Executive Director of MSF Access, Mónica Rull.
For the organization, it is "essential" to increase transparency and have a "clear" plan regarding funding and the creation of strategic reserves. "Just as the inclusion of treatments aimed at children in development and access strategies is necessary if we want to avoid the delays and inequalities that we have already seen on previous occasions from happening once again," Rull added.
"Access to future treatments against the Bundibugyo virus could once again be determined by opaque commercial decisions by pharmaceutical companies and by last-minute reactive measures if this is not guaranteed from the current phase of clinical trials. Funders, researchers, and policymakers involved in clinical trials of treatments must act now to transparently include appropriate access conditions in these trials," Rull concluded.