Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and Bavarian Nordic A/S have announced a significant advance purchase agreement, securing 500,000 doses of the MVA-BN® mpox vaccine for African countries affected by the ongoing mpox outbreak.
The vaccine, marketed under various names including JYNNEOS® and IMVANEX®, will be delivered in 2024.
In a statement on Wednesday, Gavi said the agreement is supported by Gavi’s First Response Fund, a financial mechanism created to facilitate quick access to critical vaccines during health emergencies, following lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
It said all 500,000 doses had been guaranteed for next year, a significant step in the fight against pox across Africa.
Gavi stated that Bavarian Nordic’s MVA-BN vaccine, which recently received prequalification from the World Health Organisation (WHO), will be distributed with the support of UNICEF, a key Gavi partner.
The president and CEO of Bavarian Nordic, Paul Chaplin, praised the partnership, saying, “The doses secured through this agreement will significantly increase the availability of mpox vaccines for African countries.”
Gavi’s CEO, Dr. Sania Nishtar, emphasised the importance of this deal, stating, “We are committed to working with affected governments and our partners to turn these vaccines into vaccinations as quickly and effectively as possible.”
She also expressed gratitude to donors for their rapid support of the First Response Fund, enabling swift action just a month after mpox was declared a public health emergency.
This move follows previous vaccine donations, including over 250,000 doses sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The doses will be allocated based on the WHO’s Access and Allocation Mechanism to ensure they reach the most needy populations.
The statement added that Gavi and Bavarian Nordic are also planning long-term measures to strengthen pox prevention, including a potential vaccine stockpile for future outbreaks and contributions to building a vaccine manufacturing industry in Africa.
