THE ESSENTIAL
- The WHO has granted emergency use authorization to the mpox vaccine, called LC16m8.
- This is the second vaccine to get it.
- In 2024, cases of mpox have been reported in 80 countries, including 19 African countries, according to data from October 31.
A new weapon has entered the arsenal against Mpox, which has been raging for several months, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The World Health Organization (WHO) has granted emergency use authorization to the mpox vaccine LC16m8.
This is the second product to benefit from this system since the epidemic of this disease, formerly called Monkeypox, was declared a “public health emergency of international concern” last August.
Mpox LC16m8 vaccine: “an important step” in the fight against the epidemic
The WHO considers that the authorization granted to LC16m8 “should facilitate increased and rapid access to vaccines in communities where mpox outbreaks are increasing”. The product, which has just obtained the green light, was developed and manufactured by the Japanese laboratory KM Biologics. Based on a single dose, the vaccine is recommended for children over one year of age and adults. “presenting a documented high risk of exposure to mpox”. On the other hand, it cannot be used during pregnancy and in immunocompromised people.
“The WHO emergency use authorization of the LC16m8 mpox vaccine marks an important step in our response to the current emergency, providing a new option to protect all populations, including children,” adds Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products in a press release published on November 19, 2024.
The WHO also specifies that the LC16m8 vaccine has been used in Japan during previous outbreaks of mpox and “has been shown to be safe and effective, including in people with well-controlled HIV.”
Mpox: more than 39,000 cases in the DRC
In parallel with this announcement, the Japanese government decided to donate 3.05 million doses of the vaccine to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the country most affected by the disease. “This is the largest donation announced to date in response to the current mpox emergency”specifies the WHO
The mpox epidemic which worries health authorities is mainly fueled by the clade 1b variant. The disease has been detected in 80 countries, including 19 African countries in 2024. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains the most affected country. It is in fact home to a large majority of suspected cases. According to the latest data, the country has more than 39,000 sick people as well as more than 1,000 deaths.
