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As the Ebola Epidemic Spreads, NanoViricides Advances Towards a Phase II Clinical Trial of NV-387 Oral Gummies as a Treatment for Ebola in DR Congo

NNVC
  • NanoViricides is advancing its broad-spectrum antiviral drug NV-387 towards a Phase II Clinical Trial as an oral gummy treatment for the Bundibugyo Ebolavirus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
  • The company has assembled a team with a renowned Principal Investigator & support from a local university, & the trial proposal has been approved by the Pillar Committee in Charge in the DRC.
  • As of July 6, 2026, the DRC reported 1,561 confirmed cases & 506 deaths, with no approved treatment or vaccine currently available for this specific Bundibugyo variant.
  • NV-387 is described as the only orally active agent under consideration for Ebola treatment, offering logistical advantages over infusion-based therapies like the WHO-approved MBP134 cocktail.
  • Unlike monoclonal antibodies which viruses can escape through mutation, NV-387 mimics host-side heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) features that over 90-95% of viruses require, making viral escape highly unlikely.
  • The oral gummy formulation dissolves in the mouth without swallowing or water, facilitating delivery for patients with swallowing difficulties or in resource-limited settings.
  • Om Sai Clinical Research Private Limited in India has been retained as the CRO to help execute the clinical trial, leveraging their prior work on NV-387 for Mpox in the region.
  • NanoViricides plans to submit documents to the DRC National Ethics Committee & subsequently to the regulatory agency ACOREP, with existing approvals for the same drug product for Mpox trials expediting the process.
  • Drug product has already been shipped to the DRC for the Mpox trial & will be immediately available for Ebola patients if effectiveness is demonstrated.
  • The CDC models suggest the Central African outbreak could grow to 10,000-20,000 cases & 2,000-4,000 deaths within three months, prompting travel restrictions & screening in the USA.
  • The Bundibugyo strain shows variable case fatality rates ranging from under 10% to over 35%, raising concerns about its potential as a pandemic threat if the fatality rate decreases.
  • NV-387 was previously found superior to Remdesivir in lethal animal models, & the company believes this superiority likely extends to the current novel Bundibugyo strain.
  • Current Ebola treatments focus on vaccines & antibodies specific to the Zaire strain, leaving the Sudan, Marburg, & Bundibugyo strains without approved therapies.
  • The press release includes forward-looking statements regarding the potential success of NV-387, noting that actual results may differ due to risks in clinical development & regulatory approval.