UK Secures Additional Doses Of Bavarian Nordic Mpox Vaccine To Combat New Variant Threat

The U.K. government has secured over 150,000 doses of the mpox vaccine from Bavarian Nordic A/S BVNRY BVNKF to strengthen the nation's defenses against clade I mpox.

The vaccines will be distributed across the country, with the National Health Service (NHS) prioritizing individuals at higher risk of exposure to the virus.

Almost two weeks ago,  the European Commission said around 100,000 mpox vaccine doses arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), making these the first vaccine delivery to the country.

Also Read: Moderna's Investigational Mpox Vaccine More Effective Than Current Approved Shot, Animal Study Shows.

The rollouts will occur in stages, depending on vaccine availability and clinical need. No cases of clade I mpox have been detected in the U.K.

This purchase comes in response to growing concerns over the spread of clade I mpox, which the World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

The virus has seen a significant uptick in cases, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and parts of Africa.

Last month, Lord Collins of Highbury, the U.K.'s Minister for Africa, visited the DRC and announced over 3 million pounds ($3.95 million) in funding to partner with UNICEF.

The collaboration aims to strengthen the DRC's response to both mpox and cholera outbreaks, benefiting 4.4 million people in affected areas.

The U.K. has committed 340 million pounds from 2020 to 2024 to support global health emergency preparedness and response efforts. The government is also providing an additional 3 million pounds to WHO's Regional Office for Africa to address regional health emergencies.

Furthermore, the UK is the second-largest donor to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, contributing 1.65 billion pounds from 2021 to 2025.

Gavi has played a key role in the global vaccine response, unlocking $2.9 million to aid the DRC's vaccination campaign against mpox.

Bavarian Nordic has also submitted clinical data to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to support the extension of the Imvanex (MVA-BN) smallpox and mpox vaccine indication to include adolescents 12 to 17 years of age.

Jynneos is known internationally as Imvamune or Imvanex.

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Photo by NIAID via Flickr