WHO approves Simpler cholera vaccine

As cases of cholera rise worldwide, the WHO said on Friday that it has authorized a new, less complicated version of the oral vaccine. This should assist expand the number of doses that are available.

With fewer ingredients than the original Euvichol-Plus formulation, the Euvichol-S vaccine should enable the production of higher volumes more quickly.

The World Health Organization has already approved the vaccinations Euvichol and Euvichol-Plus, which are made by EuBiologics, a South Korean company. The new vaccination has a similar efficacy rate, according to the WHO.

“The new vaccine is the third product of the same family of vaccines we have for cholera in our WHO prequalification list,” said Rogerio Gaspar, director of the UN health agency’s department for regulation and prequalification.

“The new prequalification is hoped to enable a rapid increase in production and supply which many communities battling with cholera outbreaks urgently need.”

The number of cholera cases reported to the WHO in 2022 was around 473,000, which is double that of 2021. Additionally, preliminary data suggests that over 700,000 cases were reported in the previous year.

A global shortage of oral cholera vaccines has resulted from a surge in demand, despite an 18-fold increase in supply between 2013 and 2023.

Currently, 23 countries are reporting cholera outbreaks. The most severe impacts are being felt in the Comoros, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Somalia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In a joint statement, the Gavi vaccine alliance and the UN children’s agency UNICEF said the move would help produce “more volumes of vaccine, faster, and at a lower cost”.

They said it would help increase the global stockpile from 38 million doses in 2023 to around 50 million this year.

The WHO move “represents a lifeline for vulnerable communities around the world”, said Derrick Sim, Gavi’s vaccine markets chief.

“The approval of this new product could not have come at a more important time given the acute upsurge of cholera outbreaks we are seeing worldwide.” The liquid vaccine has a 24-month shelf life.

According to Gavi and UNICEF, additional manufacturers are anticipated to make their products accessible in the upcoming years, however EuBiologics is the only company currently supplying the global stockpile with oral cholera vaccines.

Acute intestinal infection known as cholera is contracted through contaminated food and water, usually from feces, that contain the vibrio cholerae bacteria. If left untreated, it can kill within hours, although the WHO claims that getting treatment quickly can save lives.