Merck has announced a strategic partnership with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to develop an improved and more affordable version of its Ebola virus vaccine, Ervebo . The $30m program aims to optimise the vaccine's manufacturing and distribution to expand access in low- and middle-income countries. The main goal is to increase vaccine yield and improve its shelf life, which is currently constrained by a complex, costly process ill-suited to large-scale rollouts.

Led in collaboration with Hilleman Laboratories, the project will also explore differentiated pricing mechanisms for public-sector buyers. Industry partners SK bioscience and IDT Biologika will be responsible for developing the active ingredient and the vaccine's final formulation, respectively. One key improvement under consideration is enabling Ervebo to be stored for several months in a standard refrigerator, a decisive logistical advantage for remote areas where health infrastructure is limited.

The partnership forms part of a broader international effort to make epidemic vaccines more accessible and sustainable. By targeting production and distribution constraints, Merck and CEPI aim to strengthen outbreak response capacity in regions particularly vulnerable to Ebola flare-ups, while laying the groundwork for a model that can be replicated for other diseases with epidemic potential.