The United States government has donated vials of the experimental Ebola antibody treatment MBP134 to Ugandaโs Ministry of Health, offering a promising new tool in the fight against Ebola and the potential to reduce deaths among infected patients.
Developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical under a contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), an agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services, MBP134 is designed to act faster than the bodyโs natural immune response. The antibody works by identifying and neutralising the Ebola virus before the body can develop its own immunity, a process that can take days or weeks.
Pre-clinical studies have shown that MBP134 is effective against several Ebola species, including the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With limited treatment options available for Ebola, the antibody provides an additional resource for healthcare workers managing suspected and confirmed cases.
Although MBP134 is not yet commercially available, it is being supplied under compassionate-use provisions, allowing doctors to administer it to critically ill patients while further research on its effectiveness continues.
The donation forms part of wider US efforts to enhance Ebola preparedness and response across the region. The United States has committed more than $619 million to support regional Ebola response activities, including preparedness, disease surveillance and outbreak control measures.
