Aspen Pharmacare, a leading African pharmaceutical company, is negotiating with partners to begin manufacturing mpox vaccines at its facilities, CEO Stephen Saad revealed to Reuters on Tuesday. This development comes as Africa faces a pressing challenge with an mpox outbreak, which the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency in mid-August.
The outbreak has spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighboring countries, affecting thirteen African nations. According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, over 22,800 cases and 622 deaths have been reported this year.
Saad confirmed Aspen’s readiness to produce the mpox vaccine, citing the company’s existing capacity and capability. However, he outlined two critical conditions for moving forward: a firm commitment to vaccine orders to avoid the pitfalls experienced with unfulfilled COVID-19 vaccine demands, and financial support for the technology transfer necessary to integrate vaccine production into their facilities.
Mpox, which can spread through close contact, typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions but can be fatal in rare cases. Aspen’s potential involvement in vaccine production could be crucial in addressing the ongoing health crisis in Africa.
