rVSV-EBOV was originally developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and is currently being evaluated in Phase I clinical trials.
Merck Vaccines president Dr Julie Gerberding said: "Effective Ebola vaccines will be a critical component of comprehensive prevention and control measures for people at risk of Ebola virus infection and to stem future outbreaks globally."
As part of the deal, Merck will be granted exclusive rights to the rVSV-EBOV vaccine candidate as well as any follow-on products.
Currently, the vaccine candidate is under an exclusive licensing arrangement with a wholly-owned subsidiary of NewLink Genetics.
Under these license deals, the PHAC retains non-commercial rights pertaining to the vaccine candidate.
NewLink Genetics chairman and chief executive officer Dr Charles Link said: "Merck’s vaccine development expertise, commercial leadership and history of successful strategic alliances make it an ideal partner to expedite the development of rVSV-EBOV and, if demonstrated to be efficacious and well-tolerated, to make it available to individuals and communities at risk of Ebola virus infection around the world."
In early 2015, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to start a large randomized, controlled Phase III trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the rVSV-EBOV vaccine and another investigational Ebola vaccine co-developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).