American biopharmaceutical leader focused on antiviral therapies
UNAids warns that funding cuts and tightening civic space threaten progress against HIV. Six-month lenacapavir injections are rolling out in South Africa, with early results showing promise but concerns over access and equity persist as external aid declines.
A Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak is driving rapid development of vaccines and antibody therapies. Doses of MBP134 are being used for compassionate use and clinical trials, while several vaccine candidates are advancing toward human testing. Trials face challenges from battlefield-like conditions in eastern Congo and Uganda.
Health authorities have reported at least 1,759 confirmed Ebola cases and about 600 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo since mid-May, driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain. The World Health Organization has enrolled the first patient in a trial testing MBP134 and remdesivir; treatment centres are strained and insecurity and funding shortfalls are hindering response.
Frontline workers at Ituri’s Ebola response facilities have struck over unpaid wages as the Bundibugyo outbreak expands to more provinces. The situation adds strain to an already overwhelmed health system, with clinics at capacity and mistrust hampering containment efforts. New cases have been confirmed in Haut-Uele and Tshopo, raising the outbreak’s regional footprint.
Vaccine developers are moving vaccines into Phase I trials and early safety checks amid the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak. Trials assess immune response and safety in healthy adults; stockpiles of doses are prepared for potential later-stage use. The outbreak has spread to multiple provinces in the DRC with rising case counts.
Kalshi has launched biotech contracts tied to drug trial outcomes in partnership with AppliedXL, enabling investors to bet on regulatory decisions. The move aims to offer continuously updated probabilities from trial data, while regulators warn of potential market manipulation and insider trading. The pilot includes safety safeguards and a focus on disclosure.