Danish biotech firm to speed up mpox vaccine supply as virus becomes 'global emergency'

Danish biotech firm Bavarian Nordic said on Saturday it plans to ramp up production of its mpox vaccine and work with international health organisations to ensure fair access as the disease has been declared a global public health emergency.

The company, one of the few drug firms that have an mpox vaccine, said it has informed the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that it can manufacture 10 million doses of the vaccine by the end of 2025, and could already supply up to 2 million doses this year.

The company said that it is expanding its production network to include Africa, and is prepared to work with Africa CDC as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) to make the vaccine accessible to all countries.

Earlier this week, the WHO declared mpox a "global public health emergency" for the second time in two years.

The viral infection, which causes pus-filled lesions and flu-like symptoms, is usually mild but can kill. Two strains are now spreading in the Congo and neighbouring countries — the endemic form of the virus, clade I, and a new offshoot called clade Ib.

There have been 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths, mainly among children, in the Congo since the current outbreak began in January 2023.