The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially endorsed the LC16m8 vaccine for smallpox, also known as monkeypox, following reports spreading to 80 countries with 39,000 cases. This emergency use listing (EUL) process has previously been used for approving COVID-19 vaccines.
Developed by the Chiba Serum Institute since 1975, LC16m8 is a dead virus vaccine that was initially certified for smallpox. Subsequently, it was passed to KM Biologics by the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to ensure long-term stability. This approval allows the Japanese government to donate up to 3.05 million doses of the vaccine.
Currently, LC16m8 has shown efficacy in protecting monkeys from monkeypox and proven that vaccinated monkeys recover from the disease within 12-15 days with no fatalities. However, human efficacy data is still pending. Given its long development history, previous information indicates that the vaccine is safe with no severe side effects.
In addition to LC16m8, WHO has also approved the Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) vaccine for monkeypox through the Prequalification (PQ) process. WHO’s EUL consideration now encompasses 4 diseases: COVID-19, Ebola, monkeypox, and Poliomyelitis.
TLDR: WHO has endorsed the LC16m8 and MVA-BN vaccines for monkeypox, expanding the emergency use listing (EUL) to include these vaccines alongside COVID-19 and other diseases.
Leave a Comment