Sudan and Marburg Virus Countermeasures

Sudan and Marburg viruses are filoviruses that cause severe human disease including hemorrhagic fever, with high case fatality rates. Recent outbreaks of these viruses in various African nations (e.g., Sudan virus in Uganda in 2022 and Marburg virus in Ghana, Guinea, Tanzania, and Rwanda in 2021-2024) have prompted renewed pursuit of countermeasures including vaccines and therapeutics to prevent or treat the disease. These countermeasures help to ensure the virus remains contained, protecting American citizens from the potential spread of the deadly viruses. Based on Battelle’s experience with countermeasure development and testing, partnerships with other specialized biocontainment facilities at the maximum biosafety levels (BSL-4), and successful track record with supporting licensure of products, we were selected beginning in 2021 to support both nonclinical and clinical programs to help determine the effectiveness of candidate countermeasures and continue to provide this support for multiple programs.

Battelle and three of our partner BSL-4 laboratories developed models to better understand the diseases caused by Sudan and Marburg viruses and used these models to test the efficacy of various vaccines and therapeutics. Battelle has also conducted thousands of tests with samples collected from human clinical trials to show how well candidate vaccines from at least three difference product sponsors are able to stimulate an immune response following administration.

Battelle’s partnerships and reputation for execution of high-quality regulated studies generated data to support the efficacy of multiple vaccines and therapeutics, including two that have been deployed by the United States Government for emergency use.