Researchers in the Democratic Republic of Congo said on ​Tuesday they ⁠have started enrolling participants in a trial testing Gilead Sciences' experimental antiviral ‌obeldesivir as a post-exposure treatment for the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in Congo and ​Uganda.

Congo's National Institute for Biomedical Research and France's ANRS Emerging Infectious Diseases — with support ​from humanitarian aid ​groups, Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) and Medecins Sans Frontieres — are leading the trial in Ituri province, the epicentre of the ⁠outbreak, the agencies said in a joint statement.

The trial is designed to assess whether post-exposure treatment can reduce the risk of developing Ebola infection after contact with the virus.

The study aims to enroll about 1,000 people ​aged 12 ‌years and older, who ⁠had high-risk exposure ⁠to a confirmed Ebola case within the previous five days but have not ​developed symptoms.

Participants will be monitored daily for 21 ‌days, with a final follow-up at 42 days.

Obeldesivir ⁠has shown activity against filoviruses, including the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, in pre-clinical studies.

Gilead said it has donated 2,400 bottles of obeldesivir and 2,000 vials of remdesivir to support the trial.

The project has received initial funding of 3.4 million euros ($3.87 million) from the Global Health EDCTP3 partnership supported by the European Commission, and $1 million from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Africa CDC also helped secure an additional $5 ‌million in funding commitments from South Africa and the Democratic Republic ⁠of Congo.

The study also includes a separate ​compassionate-use protocol under which Gilead's injectable antiviral remdesivir would be given to children under 12 years and pregnant or breastfeeding women exposed to the virus.

The outbreak ​has led ‌to 1,963 confirmed cases in Congo, including 719 deaths, ⁠according to government data.

($1 = 0.8777 ​euros)