Bavarian Nordic donates 40,000 Mpox Vaccine doses to Africa CDC

SWEDEN—The Danish biotechnology company Bavarian Nordic has pledged to supply 40,000 doses of its Mpox vaccine to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

This commitment comes in the wake of a recent public health emergency declaration, triggered by the alarming spread of Mpox across several African nations.

Bavarian Nordic’s contribution is part of a broader initiative involving the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).

According to Reuters, HERA has committed to securing 175,420 doses of the MVA-BN® vaccine, the only Mpox vaccine currently approved by both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

This vaccine, also known as Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN), is marketed under various names worldwide—IMVANEX in the EU/EEA and the United Kingdom, JYNNEOS in the United States and Switzerland, and IMVAMUNE in Canada.

MVA-BN is a non-replicating smallpox vaccine and has been approved for use in individuals aged 18 and older who are considered at risk for smallpox or Mpox.

 The timing of Bavarian Nordic’s donation is particularly crucial, as the Africa CDC recently declared the Mpox outbreak a “public health emergency of continental security.”

This declaration followed the disease’s rapid spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to neighbouring countries, raising the alarm across the continent.

During a live-streamed Zoom briefing, Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya highlighted the severity of the situation.

He called on all relevant institutions and stakeholders to mobilize their resources urgently, emphasizing that swift action is needed to curb the spread of the virus.

The initial outbreak in the DRC involved an endemic strain known as Clade I. However, a new and more contagious variant, Clade Ib, has since emerged and is spreading more rapidly through close contact, particularly among children.

 This development has heightened concerns and underscored the need for an immediate, coordinated response.

Despite these efforts, the Africa CDC has reported a significant shortage of vaccines, further complicating the response to the outbreak.

The continent currently requires over 10 million doses of the Mpox vaccine, yet only about 200,000 doses are available.

In response to this shortfall, Kaseya has vowed that the Africa CDC will work tirelessly to increase the vaccine supply.

He announced that the agency aims to secure 3 million doses by 2024 and eventually scale up to over 10 million doses. However, the specifics regarding the sourcing of these additional vaccines remain unclear.

Mpox, a viral infection transmitted through close contact, presents with flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions.

While most cases are mild, the disease has the potential to be fatal, particularly in vulnerable populations.