WHO Grants Emergency Approval to Japan’s KM Biologics Mpox Vaccine Amid Surge in Cases and New Variant Spread
The World Health Organization (WHO) has granted emergency use listing to Japan’s KM Biologics’ mpox vaccine, marking it as the second shot to receive the agency’s approval for combating the disease.
This announcement comes amid growing concerns over the spread of a new mpox variant, clade Ib, which emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has since affected neighboring nations. The WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years this August.
In September, the agency faced criticism for its perceived slow action on vaccine approvals. Following the clearance of Bavarian Nordic’s mpox vaccine, the WHO began evaluating LC16, developed by Japan’s KM Biologics, as a viable option.
The decision to approve the LC16 vaccine highlights efforts to curb the outbreak, which has seen over 50,500 confirmed and suspected cases and more than 1,100 deaths in Africa this year, according to WHO data.
With two vaccines now authorized, health experts are hopeful this will bolster global response efforts against the virus.
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