African pharmaceutical giant Aspen Pharmacare is exploring partnerships to manufacture mpox vaccines at its facilities, according to CEO Stephen Saad.
The move comes amidst a global health emergency declared by the World Health Organization due to the rising number of cases.
The continent has faced a significant surge in mpox infections, with thirteen countries reporting over 22,800 cases and 622 deaths this year.
Aspen, with its existing manufacturing capabilities, is positioned to contribute to the global effort to combat the virus.
Saad emphasized that while the company is confident in its ability to produce mpox vaccines, it has set certain conditions to avoid the fate of its previous COVID-19 vaccine production, which faced limited demand.
Aspen requires a guaranteed commitment to purchase volumes and financial support for technology transfer to its facilities.
As mpox continues to spread, the potential for Aspen Pharmacare to play a crucial role in vaccine production offers hope for increased access and control of the disease in Africa and beyond.