Bavarian Nordic says it can meet demand for Ampox shot, awaits orders

(Bloomberg) — Bavarian Nordic A/S, one of the few companies with an approved Mpox vaccine, says it will be able to meet the vaccination needs of African countries grappling with Mpox outbreaks.

Bavarian Nordic Chief Executive Officer Paul Chaplin said in an interview that the company could provide 10 million doses of its vaccine to African countries by the end of 2025. “We have the inventory and we have the capacities. What we lack are orders.”

The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared the fast-spreading outbreak a global public health emergency. A day earlier the Africa Centers for Disease Control declared the potentially deadly virus, which has spread to at least six countries, a continent-wide emergency. The Bavarian Nordic’s U.S.-traded shares were up 52% ​​as of 3:37 p.m. in New York.

A mutated strain has infected nearly 15,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo this year alone and killed more than 500. A weak public health system and poor access to expensive vaccines have hampered efforts to control the spread.

Chaplin said the Danish vaccine developer has about 300,000 doses ready for immediate shipping. The company and the European Commission have already jointly donated more than 215,000 doses. The CEO said the Bavarian Nordic could provide a total of two million doses to Africa by the end of this year and eight million in 2025.

“It’s already the last month of August, so there needs to be some speed in decision-making to do this,” he said.

Bavarian Nordic’s vaccine – sold under the names Geneos, Imvammune and Imvanex – was originally developed to prevent smallpox and is the only vaccine approved for mpox. Costing about $100 per dose, it is one of a handful of vaccines that can prevent mpox, according to the Africa CDC. Two other vaccines from Emergent BioSolutions Inc. and KM Biologics are available, though not widely approved.

Although current outbreaks in countries like the DRC involve a virulent virus, Chaplin said he was confident in the effectiveness of the vaccine.

Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya has said the continent needs 10 million doses and that these vaccines are very expensive.

“There’s no doubt that pricing will be an issue,” Chaplin said in the interview. “We’re very sensitive about pricing. We’re fully aware that we have to do our job here and look at pricing responsibly,” he said, declining to provide further details.

Unlike some other vaccinations, the Ampox shot is not in high demand in rich countries. This makes it difficult for the company to recoup low-cost sales and donations in poorer countries.

The first global outbreak of ampox in 2022 was declared an international public health emergency, leading to vaccination campaigns in many regions. While some countries still have stockpiles, only the European Commission and Bavarian Nordic have so far announced plans to donate doses.

Africa’s CDC is currently working on a vaccination strategy, which Chaplin said is a key element of the decision-making process for countries considering donating doses. While countries outside of Africa have yet to announce procurement efforts, Chaplin said his phone is “starting to get pretty busy again.”

“The international community must respond to this,” he said. “If we do nothing it will only be a matter of time until it spreads further and then suddenly cases appear in Europe, the US and other parts of the world.”

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