The delivery of the first doses of monkey smallpox vaccines started on Tuesday delivery of the first doses of monkey pox vaccines[/B] provided by the European Union through the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), starting in Spain, the Commission announced
In a statement, Health and Food Safety Commissioner Stella Kyriakidou noted that the first deliveries are starting in the most affected countries.
She recalled that "this is the first time that through the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority we are directly purchasing and delivering vaccines to Member States".
"With the establishment and operation of HERA, the EU has significantly strengthened its capacity to respond and decisively address new health threats," he added.
The first delivery is for 5,300 doses concerning Spain, out of a total of 109,000 90 doses purchased by the EU. According to the statement, deliveries will continue on a regular basis in the coming weeks and months.
The monkeypox vaccines are distributed to member states in proportion to the population of each country, with the manufacturer Bavarian Nordic delivering directly to the national authorities.
The Member States agreed that the countries with the highest number of monkeypox cases at the date of signing the contract will have priority.
The next countries to receive vaccines are Spain, Portugal, Germany and Belgium, and deliveries will continue in July and August.
The EMA is considering a vaccine for smallpox in monkeys
In another development, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has started a review of the data to approve the licensing of the smallpox vaccine Imvanex[/B] so that it can also be used against monkeypox.
As noted in an announcement, Imvanex is currently approved for the treatment of smallpox in adults.
The decision is based on the results of laboratory studies (non-clinical data) suggesting that the vaccine activates the production of antibodies that fight monkeypox.
At present, it adds, there are limited stocks of Imvanex in the EU. This vaccine is also marketed in the US under the name Jynneos, as a vaccine to prevent both smallpox and monkeypox.
Source: CNA
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