Bavarian Nordic issued an update on its supply and manufacturing activities in support of mpox response efforts in September 2024. The company manufacturers the approved non-replicating smallpox and mpox vaccine MVA-BN (marketed as JYNNEOS, IMVAMUNE, and IMVANEX). The company statement describes “intensified” collaboration with global stakeholders in response to the declaration of mpox as a PHECS by Africa CDC and a PHEIC by WHO.
Progress so far
Through donations from the European Commission, the United States government, and Bavarian Nordic, initial doses of MVA-BN have been delivered to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the epicentre of the mpox outbreak. Further donations have been pledged by other countries. However, UNICEF and Africa CDC have suggested that vaccines will be needed to protect up to 1 million people in high-risk areas of DRC, with up to 10-12 million doses required through 2025.
Bavarian Nordic “is committed to ensuring equitable access to its mpox vaccine”. It has therefore prioritised the production of MVA-BN for the rest of the year to ensure up to 2 million doses by year-end. This means that some existing orders for 2024 will be delayed to 2025 to provide “greater flexibility” to meet “additional urgent and imminent needs”. The new supply contracts include multi-year agreements with countries, including those who have pledged vaccines for Africa. Additionally, Bavarian Nordic has responded to UNICEF’s emergency tender and is participating in discussions with other organisations and individual governments around the globe.
Up to 13 million doses
By focussing “full capacity to address the current public health emergency”, Bavarian Nordic hopes to supply up to 13 million MVA-BN doses by the end of 2025. This includes 2 million in 2024. Although this may be sufficient to meet the current and near future demand, Bavarian Nordic is exploring “additional levers” to expand capacity. This includes possibly transferring manufacturing to other companies.
“Based on these early, but highly constructive discussions, together with further planned improvements in the manufacturing process, Bavarian Nordic has identified another 50 million doses that, pending regulatory approvals and demand, could be supplied during the next 12-18 months.”
President and CEO of Bavarian Nordic, Paul Chaplin, stated that the company is “working closely with all governments and organisations to support the international efforts to combat the latest public health emergency”. Mr Chaplin highlighted that Bavarian Nordic will “support all requests for vaccine and have already secured agreements to the UNICEF tender that will hopefully secure more access to MVA-BN globally”.
“We remain committed to the equitable access either through prioritising our own capacity, accelerating planned improvements in the manufacturing process and by exploring ways to further expand capacity through partnerships around the globe. Once again Bavarian Nordic, through innovation and our commitment to improving and saving lives has stepped forward as an important part of the international community’s response to the current public health emergency.”
We will hear more from Bavarian Nordic on their contributions to the mpox response at the Congress in Washington next April; get your tickets to join us there and don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly newsletters here.
