PRINCETON, New Jersey, May 26, 2026
Soligenix, Inc. has announced that its proprietary ThermoVax® vaccine platform may provide a rapid development pathway for a new vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo virus, the filovirus responsible for the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The company stated that previous research involving thermostable vaccine candidates against Ebola, Sudan virus, and Marburg virus demonstrates strong immunogenicity, durability, and protection data that could accelerate development of a vaccine specifically targeting Bundibugyo virus.
The announcement comes as global health authorities intensify efforts to contain the latest outbreak, which has already resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of suspected infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, increasing urgency around vaccine development and outbreak preparedness. Soligenix is collaborating with Dr. Axel Lehrer of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s John A. Burns School of Medicine to advance thermostable protein subunit vaccine technologies capable of simplifying vaccine storage, transportation, and deployment in outbreak-prone regions.
ThermoVax® Platform Supports Rapid Vaccine Development
According to Soligenix, previous studies have already demonstrated that the company’s filovirus vaccine platform can provide robust immune responses and complete protection in non-human primate models exposed to lethal viral infections. The vaccine platform incorporates recombinant glycoproteins from multiple filoviruses combined with the company’s proprietary CoVaccine HT™ adjuvant and thermostabilization technologies.
Researchers emphasized that the same expression platform previously used to produce glycoproteins for Ebola and Sudan virus vaccines has also been successfully applied to the Bundibugyo virus antigen, potentially enabling rapid vaccine adaptation and accelerated development timelines.
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One of the platform’s most significant advantages is its ability to maintain vaccine stability at elevated temperatures for extended periods. Stability studies have reportedly demonstrated that the thermostable vaccine formulations remain viable for at least two years at temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). The vaccines are manufactured as freeze-dried powders that can be reconstituted with sterile water immediately before administration, eliminating many of the ultra-cold storage challenges associated with conventional Ebola vaccines.
Researchers believe this feature could significantly improve vaccine access in low-resource regions and outbreak zones where cold-chain infrastructure remains limited.
Bundibugyo Outbreak Increases Global Health Concerns
The Bundibugyo virus belongs to the Filoviridae family, which includes Ebola and Marburg viruses, among the world’s deadliest infectious pathogens. While approved vaccines currently exist for the Ebola Zaire strain, there are still no approved vaccines specifically targeting Bundibugyo, Sudan, or Marburg viruses.
Health experts warn that filovirus outbreaks remain a major international public health threat due to their high mortality rates, rapid transmission potential, and limited treatment options. Soligenix noted that the current outbreak has highlighted the urgent need for broadly deployable vaccines capable of addressing multiple filovirus species.
Dr. Axel Lehrer stated that the platform’s thermostability and broad immune protection profile make it especially valuable for deployment in endemic African regions and for use within emergency preparedness stockpiles. He added that, with sufficient funding, development of a dedicated Bundibugyo vaccine could advance rapidly either as a standalone product or as part of a multivalent filovirus vaccine strategy.
Global Focus Grows on Pandemic Preparedness Technologies
The announcement reflects increasing pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry investment in outbreak preparedness, biodefense, and vaccine technologies capable of addressing emerging infectious disease threats. Soligenix’s vaccine programs are supported through partnerships and funding from organizations including the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).
Industry analysts believe thermostable vaccine technologies may become increasingly important in future pandemic response efforts because they simplify logistics, reduce distribution costs, and improve global vaccine accessibility. As outbreaks involving Ebola-related viruses continue emerging across Africa, scalable vaccine technologies capable of rapid deployment are expected to remain a major focus area for global health agencies and biodefense organizations.
Source: Soligenix press release
