Monkeypox: WHO prequalifies first vaccine; know all about it

The MVA-BN vaccine, manufactured by the Bavarian Nordic A/S, has been added to the list of prequalified vaccines against monkeypox, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

"The prequalification approval is expected to facilitate timely and increased access to this vital product in communities with urgent need, to reduce transmission and help contain the outbreak," the WHO has said in an official statement.

“This first prequalification of a vaccine against mpox is an important step in our fight against the disease, both in the context of the current outbreaks in Africa, and in future,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “We now need urgent scale up in procurement, donations and rollout to ensure equitable access to vaccines where they are needed most, alongside other public health tools, to prevent infections, stop transmission and save lives.”

All about the MVA-BN vaccine

This vaccine can be administered in people over 18 years of age. It is a 2-dose infection given 4 weeks apart. The vaccine can be stored for up to 8 weeks at 2-8 degree Celsius.

The single dose of the vaccine has 76% effectiveness in protecting people against monkeypox and the 2-dose schedule has over 80% effectiveness.

It is the only non-replicating mpox vaccine approved in the U.S., Switzerland and Singapore (marketed as JYNNEOS®), Canada (marketed as IMVAMUNE®), and the EU/EAA and United Kingdom (marketed as IMVANEX®), the manufacturer has said. "Originally developed as a smallpox vaccine in collaboration with the U.S. government to ensure the supply of a smallpox vaccine for the entire population, including immunocompromised individuals who are not recommended vaccination with traditional replicating smallpox vaccines, MVA-BN has been indicated for use in the general adult population in individuals considered at risk for smallpox or mpox infection," it has added.

The need of vaccination against monkeypox

Monkeypox was declared a global emergency on August 14, 2024 after reports of the outbreak of the disease was reported outside the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The WHO Director-General declared monkeypox a PHEIC or public health emergency of international concern. "Over 120 countries have confirmed more than 103 000 cases of mpox since the onset of the global outbreak in 2022. In 2024 alone, there were 25 237 suspected and confirmed cases and 723 deaths from different outbreaks in 14 countries of the African Region (based on data from 8 September 2024)," the WHO has said.