The Only Monkeypox Vaccine Maker Finds It Difficult To Meet Accelerating Demand

Bavarian Nordic A/S BVNKF, the only company with an approved vaccine for monkeypox, said it’s no longer sure it can meet demand as cases continue to rise worldwide, Bloomberg reported.

The company is now exploring the possibility of outsourcing some of the production to meet the increasing demand. 

“It’s a very dynamic market situation,” Rolf Sass Sorensen, a vice president at the firm, said by phone. “Demand keeps rising, and it’s no longer certain that we can continue to meet the demand we’re facing even with the upgrade of our existing manufacturing site in Denmark.”

Related: US Officials Declare Health Emergency Over Monkeypox Outbreak As Cases Cross 6,000 Mark.

Bavarian Nordic also previously said a technology transfer to a third-party producer, which would allow bulk production of the vaccine rather than just ‘fill-finish,’ would be too cumbersome, expensive, and take too long.

The UK said earlier this week that it’s facing a temporary vaccine shortage.

Sorensen said, “We are also investigating a tech transfer to a contract manufacturer in the US to increase capacity.”

Also Read: Bavarian Nordic Secures Significant European Smallpox/Monkeypox Vaccine Order for 2023.

Bavarian’s CEO, Paul Chaplin, told Danish newspaper Borsen that a possible tech transfer for Jynneos to a US producer could take about three months if the process is sped up, compared with about nine months under normal circumstances.

Bavarian can produce 30 million doses yearly at its bulk facility based north of Copenhagen.

Photo Jernej Furman from Flickr