Hilleman Laboratories
Singapore-based vaccine developer, a joint venture of Merck and Wellcome Trust.
On 31 July 2026 Hilleman Laboratories put its Bundibugyo ebolavirus vaccine candidate into clinical-trial production, the first shot built specifically for the strain driving eastern DR Congo's outbreak, backed by up to $8.5m from CEPI.
Last refreshed: 31 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why has no licensed Ebola vaccine protected against the Bundibugyo species until now?
Timeline for Hilleman Laboratories
Entered its rVSV candidate into trial production
Pandemics and Biosecurity: Moderna doses first human in TruroDeveloped the Bundibugyo-specific vaccine candidate
Pandemics and Biosecurity: CEPI puts a Bundibugyo vaccine in trialsBackground
Hilleman Laboratories is a Singapore-based vaccine developer established as a joint venture between Merck & Co. (MSD outside the US and Canada) and the Wellcome Trust. Its mandate is to develop and manufacture vaccines affordable for low- and middle-income countries, drawing on Merck's manufacturing expertise and Wellcome's research funding.
Its Bundibugyo work uses the rVSV backbone, the same viral-vector platform behind licensed vaccines against the Zaire strain of Ebola. Access to that established platform, plus a Bundibugyo-specific reference virus supplied by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and MSD's manufacturing expertise, is what let a candidate reach trial production for a species no licensed vaccine covers.
Sitting at the intersection of two much larger organisations, one a commercial pharmaceutical giant, the other a research charity, Hilleman can pursue vaccine candidates for outbreaks too small or too geographically confined to attract standalone commercial investment.
Hilleman starts Bundibugyo vaccine trials
Hilleman Laboratories, the Singapore-based vaccine developer, moved its Bundibugyo ebolavirus candidate into clinical-trial production on 31 July 2026, the first shot engineered specifically against the species behind eastern DR Congo's current outbreak rather than the more familiar Zaire strain. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations is backing the work with up to $8.5m.
The candidate is built on the rVSV platform, the viral-vector technology already used in licensed vaccines against the Zaire strain, but swaps in a Bundibugyo-specific reference virus supplied by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. Manufacturing draws on the expertise of joint-venture parent Merck & Co.; CEPI notes the candidate carries no efficacy data yet and will not help the outbreak already under way, only the next one.
Hilleman starts Bundibugyo vaccine trials
Why did CEPI fund a Bundibugyo-specific Ebola vaccine?
Is there a vaccine for Bundibugyo Ebola?
Reference
What is Hilleman Laboratories?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 31 July 2026. Editorial standards.