WHO Grants Emergency Use Listing to a Second Mpox Vaccine

The WHO has granted “Emergency Use Listing (EUL) for the LC16m8 mpox vaccine, making it the second mpox vaccine to be supported by WHO following the Director-General’s declaration of an mpox public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on 14 August 2024.”

Mpox cases have been reported across 80 countries in 2024. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been the hardest hit, with over 39,000 suspected cases and more than 1,000 deaths. This move from the WHO also comes directly on the heels of Japan’s government announcing that it will “donate 3.05 million doses of the LC16m8 vaccine, along with specialized inoculation needles, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is the largest donation package announced to date in response to the current mpox emergency.” The LC16m8 vaccine was developed in Japan.

This vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective, “including in people with well-controlled HIV.” The minimally replicating vaccine should not be used “during pregnancy and in people who are immunocompromised,” however.

The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety recommends that “healthcare workers are provided with training on the use of bifurcated needles to prevent injuries and adverse effects.”