WHO prequalifies new simplified oral vaccine for cholera
While similar in efficacy to existing vaccines, the inactivated oral vaccine has a simplified formulation, allowing opportunities to rapidly increase production capacity
On 12 April, Euvichol-S, the new oral vaccine for cholera, received prequalification by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr Rogerio Gaspar, Director of the WHO Department for Regulation and Prequalification, said: “The new vaccine is the third product of the same family of vaccines we have for cholera in our WHO prequalification list.
“The new prequalification is hoped to enable a rapid increase in production and supply, which many communities battling with cholera outbreaks urgently need.”
The WHO prequalification list currently includes inactivated oral cholera vaccines, Euvichol and Euvichol-plus, produced by South Korea’s EuBiologics, which also produced the new vaccine, Euvichol-S.
Vaccines provide the fastest method of prevention, limitation, and control of cholera outbreaks, but supplies have been at their lowest amid countries facing dire shortcomings in areas of cholera prevention and management such as safe water, hygiene, and sanitation.
Nearly half a million (473,000) cholera cases were reported to WHO in 2022, double the number from 2021. A further increase of cases by 700,000 was estimated for 2023. Currently, 23 countries are reporting cholera outbreaks, with the most severe impacts seen in the Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Somalia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
WHO also announced recently that more than 1.2 million cholera test kits will be shipped in the coming weeks to 14 countries in its largest-ever global deployment.