Serum Institute of India manufactured and stockpiled approximately 620,000 doses of a Bundibugyo ebolavirus vaccine candidate within two weeks, supplying 4,000 investigational doses for an early-stage study. This rapid production by a private corporation underscores the swift mobilization of capital when public health crises present new avenues for profit.
The University of Oxford launched the first human trial of this vaccine, known as BD-Ebov, on Monday. It will evaluate the ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine in 50 healthy adults aged 18 to 55 in Oxford. Recruitment has begun, with vaccinations pending regulatory approval.
Scientists at Oxford's Vaccine Group and Pandemic Sciences Institute developed the vaccine. They used the same viral vector platform as the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot, a product that generated billions for its developers and distributors during a global pandemic.
The Profit Motive
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) initially invested up to $8.6 million for the shot's development. This investment secures a financial stake in the vaccine's eventual market success.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended prioritizing the ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine in May, two months ago, alongside another candidate, rVSV Bundibugyo, for clinical evaluation. Such recommendations often serve to legitimize corporate-led responses to global health challenges.
If the early-stage trial proves successful, CEPI stated it would collaborate with Oxford and Serum Institute to support late-stage studies. These studies are necessary to secure emergency-use authorization or full regulatory approval, paving the way for widespread distribution and revenue generation.
Preparations are also underway for additional clinical studies in Uganda, subject to regulatory approval. These partnerships include the Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Uganda Research Unit, extending the reach of pharmaceutical capital into affected regions.
The State's Role
The partners claim they aim to ensure "rapid and affordable vaccine supplies for affected countries." This promise, however, echoes past assurances that often fail to materialize when profit margins are at stake, leaving the most vulnerable populations underserved.
Regulatory bodies play a crucial role in this process, granting approvals that open markets for these pharmaceutical products. Their function is to manage the system, not fundamentally alter the profit-driven approach to public health.
The focus on vaccine development, while presented as a solution, diverts attention from the systemic underdevelopment and resource extraction that contribute to the prevalence of such outbreaks in the first place. It's a band-aid on a wound caused by deeper structural inequalities.