Expects positive news on indigenous Mpox vaccine within a year: Poonawalla

Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII), on Tuesday said he expects ‘positive news’ on the development of an indigenous Mpox vaccine within a year amid a surge in cases globally. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently declared the Mpox outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern.

Mpox cases have been confirmed among children and adults in more than a dozen African countries, and a new form of the virus is spreading. Vaccines for the diseases are in short supply.

“In view of the global health emergency declared due to the Mpox outbreak, Serum Institute of India is currently working on developing a vaccine for this disease to cater to millions of lives that might be at risk. Hopefully, with the ongoing progress, we will have more updates and positive news to share within a year's time,” Poonawalla said.

According to global news agencies, Congo will receive the first vaccine doses from the US next week to address the outbreak.

Congo, which has a majority of Mpox cases, currently needs 3 million vaccine doses.

Japan-based KM Biologics is one of the manufacturers of an Mpox vaccine. Denmark's Bavarian Nordic makes another vaccine, called Jynneos, for the disease. Reuters reported that Japan holds a stockpile of the KM Biologics vaccine.

While India has so far not reported any Mpox cases, the Union Health Ministry has issued special instructions to all airports and land border officials to keep a vigil on all arrivals. The ministry’s instructions say that all in-bound passengers that show likely symptoms of mpox must be isolated. Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Lady Hardinge Hospital will serve as quarantine centres. 

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has provisioned for a temporary holding area for Mpox patients, consisting of five beds.

"These beds will be alloted to MPox patients on recommendation of the Emergency Chief Medical Officer and treated by the medicine department", AIIMS said.

These patients will then be referred to Safdarjung Hospital for further evaluation.