Bavarian Nordic Seeks Approval to Expand Mpox Vaccine to Teens

Shares of Bavarian Nordic, a Danish biotech company, surged this week following the World Health Organization's (WHO) declaration of a public health emergency due to an escalating mpox outbreak in Africa. The company’s CEO, Paul Chaplin, announced that Bavarian Nordic could supply 10 million doses of its mpox vaccine, Jynneos, to address the urgent needs of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The outbreak, which has spread from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to neighboring countries, is reportedly more deadly than previous variants. Chaplin revealed that the company currently has 300,000 doses ready for immediate distribution, with an additional 2 million doses expected to be available by the end of 2024. The stock price of Bavarian Nordic has increased by approximately 49% over the past five days, reflecting heightened investor interest in the vaccine. Emergent BioSolutions, another vaccine manufacturer, also experienced a stock increase of 54% during the same period. In response to the outbreak, Bavarian Nordic has submitted data to the European Medicines Agency to extend the vaccine's approval for use in adolescents aged 12 to 17. This move is crucial as the new strain, clade 1b, disproportionately affects children and young individuals. The WHO's declaration follows a similar emergency label issued for mpox in 2022 and for COVID-19 in 2020, emphasizing the need for swift action to contain the virus. As the situation develops, health authorities worldwide are preparing to implement measures to combat the spread of mpox, with countries like China already enhancing surveillance for arrivals from affected regions. The urgency of the outbreak has prompted calls for increased vaccine access, particularly for vulnerable populations, including children and those with weakened immune systems.