September 13, (THEWILL) – On Friday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced the approval of the MVA-BN vaccine, developed by Bavarian Nordic A/S, as the first-ever Mpox vaccine to be added to its pre-qualification list.
This prequalification approval 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 the future”, WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said.
He stressed the need to scale up vaccine procurement and distribution to ensure equitable access for those most at risk.
The vaccine is administered in two doses, four weeks apart, for adults aged 18 and over.
“The prequalification decision will accelerate procurement by international agencies and speed up national regulatory approvals”, said WHO Assistant Director-General, Yukiko Nakatani.
Current data indicate that the vaccine is 76 percent effective after a single dose and 82 percent effective after two doses.
WHO emphasised the need for continued data collection on the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness.
