UNICEF secures 1M MVA-BN vaccine doses for Africa’s Mpox battle

USA — UNICEF has reached an agreement with Swiss vaccine maker Bavarian Nordic to provide one million doses of the MVA-BN vaccine development for Africa’s battle against the ongoing mpox outbreak.

This effort aims to address the urgent need for vaccines in some of the continent’s hardest-hit countries.

Of this supply, 500,000 doses will be provided through a commitment made by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), which was announced in September.

According to Paul Chaplin, CEO of Bavarian Nordic, 2.5 million doses of the vaccine have now been designated for Africa.

In a statement made on September 26, the company restated its commitment to supplying the needed dosages as soon as possible, noting that Bavarian Nordic is working closely with UNICEF to ensure the vaccines arrive on time.

In addition to the agreement with UNICEF, vaccine supplies have been increased by donations from various governments and institutions, with Bavarian Nordic contributing an additional 40,000 doses to the continent.

Moreover, the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) has ordered 175,420 doses, intended for Africa’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Bavarian Nordic’s MVA-BN vaccine, which is marketed as Imvanex in Europe and Jynneos in the US and Singapore, holds the distinction of being the only mpox vaccine approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In response to the escalating demand, Bavarian Nordic has committed to prioritizing the production of the MVA-BN vaccine over other products.

The company aims to manufacture two million doses by the end of this year, including the doses promised to UNICEF, with plans to ramp up production to 13 million doses by the end of 2025.

Africa’s CDC previously estimated that the continent may require over 10 million doses by 2025 to effectively control the outbreak, particularly given the spread of the more virulent clade Ib variant.

According to a recent epidemiological update from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Africa has reported approximately 24,000 confirmed or suspected cases of mpox this year, resulting in over 600 deaths.

The vaccine, initially approved for adults, received expanded approval earlier this month when the European Medicines Agency (EMA) became the first regulator to authorize its use in adolescents.

 A spokesperson for Bavarian Nordic confirmed that the company is working to extend this approval process to other high-risk regions.

In addition, Bavarian Nordic is exploring further expansion of its vaccine coverage through a Phase II clinical trial (NCT06549530), which will evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of the MVA-BN vaccine in children aged two to twelve.

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