Marburg Vaccine: Senegal Leads African Development of Ebola-Like Virus Shot

The race to protect against Marburg virus, a highly lethal relative of Ebola, is gaining momentum in Senegal, with the Institut Pasteur de Dakar leading the charge in developing a potential vaccine. While an Ebola vaccine exists, a preventative measure against Marburg remains elusive, a gap researchers are urgently trying to fill. The virus, which circulates primarily in Africa and carries a fatality rate as high as 88%, poses a significant public health threat.

A Collaborative Approach to Vaccine Development

Researchers at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar are working to finalize a Marburg vaccine candidate through a technology transfer agreement with Public Health Vaccines, a U.S.-based laboratory. This partnership, formalized in December 2025 but built on earlier collaboration, represents a strategic move towards bolstering the continent’s health security. The process involves scaling up laboratory procedures to industrial levels, a task led by Dr. Marie-Angélique Sène. “We are sent a process at the lab level on a tiny scale, and our teams operate to develop it to an industrial scale,” Dr. Sène explained. “We have already overcome most of the more complicated steps and are preparing to relaunch bioreactor runs to complete this process development and begin preparing for Phase 1 clinical trials.” This collaborative model emphasizes knowledge sharing, with the U.S. Laboratory providing protocols and processes, and the Dakar team adapting and validating them.

This isn’t simply about replicating existing technology; it’s about building capacity. The Institut Pasteur de Dakar isn’t receiving researchers from the U.S. Lab, but rather the complete technical framework needed to independently produce the vaccine. As Dr. Sène notes, the teams work together, sharing developments and jointly validating results.

Building on Existing Expertise

The Marburg vaccine development is the first of its kind for a viral vaccine at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, but the institute brings substantial experience to the table. It already produces vaccines against measles and rubella and serves as a collaborating center for the World Health Organization (WHO). Ndeye Marie Mba, responsible for the institute’s vaccine platform, highlights the potential for a versatile approach. “The idea with this platform is really to be able to use the same method to produce vaccines, and in a very short time. This allows us, once we have mastered this platform, to be able to switch with any vaccine of interest at the moment.”

Addressing a Regional and Global Threat

Marburg fever is a concern for roughly twenty African countries, including Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Equatorial Guinea. Recent outbreaks, such as the one in Tanzania in early 2025 that resulted in eight deaths, underscore the ongoing risk. The Institut Pasteur in Dakar confirmed a case in Senegal in February 2023, highlighting the virus’s reach. Developing local solutions is therefore paramount, as emphasized by Dr. Ibrahima Fall, the institute’s director general. “We cannot wait for diseases like this to be diagnosed by European laboratories, or for the tools to be developed by European laboratories. Local production is important in terms of health sovereignty. We saw this during the pandemic, when the entire global supply system was completely at a standstill. In the absence of local production, it was difficult to access vaccines.”

Understanding Marburg Virus and its Severity

Marburg virus is a highly virulent viral hemorrhagic fever, meaning it damages blood vessels and causes bleeding. It’s in the same family as Ebola, and while less frequent, it carries a comparable or even higher fatality rate. Symptoms initially resemble other fevers, making early diagnosis challenging. The virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces, or materials.

The Path Forward: From Candidate to Accessible Vaccine

The ultimate goal is to produce the vaccine at the Diamniadio vaccine hub, located just outside Dakar. The Institut Pasteur de Dakar is committed to ensuring the vaccine will be affordable, a crucial factor for equitable access across the continent. The current focus remains on completing the process development and initiating Phase 1 clinical trials, the first step in evaluating the vaccine’s safety and efficacy in humans.

Looking ahead, the institute’s work extends beyond Marburg. The platform developed for this vaccine could be adapted for other viral threats, allowing for a rapid response to future outbreaks. This represents a significant investment in Africa’s ability to independently address emerging infectious diseases and strengthen its overall health infrastructure. The success of this initiative will depend on continued collaboration, sustained funding, and a commitment to building local expertise.

For the latest updates on Marburg virus and related public health information, please consult the World Health Organization and your national health authorities.