A new strain of mpox, known as clade Ib, has been spreading rapidly in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has begun to leak beyond the country’s borders since September 2023. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) last month, marking the second such declaration for an mpox variant in two years.
As reported in fiercebiotech.com, this surge in mpox cases has intensified efforts to develop safer, more effective, and easier-to-manufacture vaccines. Moderna, recognized for its mRNA Covid-19 vaccine, has directed its expertise towards mpox.
A recent study found that Moderna’s mRNA vaccine candidate outperformed the widely used Jynneos vaccine in preventing severe disease and lowering virus levels in monkeys.
“The mRNA-1769 vaccine shows promise,” said Jean Nachega, M.D., Ph.D., an epidemiologist at the University of Pittsburgh who was not involved in the study. “Its ability to induce a strong immune response with both neutralizing and functional antibodies indicates it could be an effective tool against mpox.”