Global Manufacturers Can Ramp Up Low-Cost Monkeypox Vaccine Production, Public Citizen Report Finds
WASHINGTON, D.C. – At least nine global vaccine manufacturers, including six based in low- and middle-income countries, have experience in making vaccines similar to the monkeypox vaccine, a new Public Citizen report found. Manufacturers in these countries sell similar vaccines for $4 or less per dose – nearly 30 times less than the estimated $110 price of the monkeypox vaccine, according to the report.
Public Citizen reviewed global vaccine products, including all World Health Organization prequalified and U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved vaccines, to identify which vaccines use the “chick embryo fibroblast” cells central to Jynneos production. Nine manufacturers already use this technology to make vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, and rabies. What’s more, six of them are based in low- and middle-income countries, including hard-hit countries like Brazil.
“MPXV will likely continue to pose a threat to developing countries for years to come. This report shows how shoring up local manufacturing capacity can help fuel an equitable and sustainable response,” said Zain Rizvi, a research director for Public Citizen and author of the report.
The report concludes that the U.S. government and other large funders should push Bavarian Nordic to share technology and work with manufacturers in developing countries to scale up production. Advocates have been calling on the Biden administration to develop a global plan to fight the monkeypox virus.
“Bavarian Nordic’s outrageous price – $110 per dose – may discourage countries from placing vaccine orders they need to contain monkeypox,” said Peter Maybarduk, Access to Medicines director for Public Citizen. “We’re asking the Biden administration urgently to reallocate doses to countries in need.”
Previous research by Public Citizen found that the U.S. holds nearly 80% of the global supply of Jynneos, revealing shocking inequities in access to the vaccine.