EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) has recommended granting a marketing authorisation in the European Union for a new Ebola vaccine that provides active immunisation to prevent Ebola virus disease (Zaire ebolavirus species) in individuals aged 1 year and older.
Ebola virus disease is a rare but severe and often fatal illness. Between 25% to 90% of the patients who contracted the disease died in past outbreaks. The largest outbreak to date occurred in West Africa in 2014-2016 with more than 11,000 deaths. Currently, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is fighting an Ebola epidemic.