NEW DELHI: In response to the emerging Mpox outbreak, Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India (SII), has announced that the company is working on a new vaccine for Mpox. This development follows recent state government guidelines aimed at managing Mpox cases, which have sparked heightened concern globally.

Poonawalla revealed that SII is focused on creating a vaccine to combat the Mpox virus, with an optimistic goal of having the vaccine available within a year. He stated, "Given the global health emergency declared due to the Mpox outbreak, SII is committed to developing a vaccine to protect millions of lives potentially at risk. We hope to provide more updates and positive news in the coming year."

The Indian government has implemented new guidelines for isolating suspected Mpox cases. The National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune is tasked with testing samples. Dr. Pragya Yadav from the NIV explained that while they have been testing Mpox samples since 2022, the emergence of a new Mpox lineage, CLADE 1B, has raised concerns. "Samples have been arriving regularly, but so far, none have tested positive," she said.

The CLADE 1B lineage is particularly concerning because it can spread through sexual contact, a development that has led to expert warnings. Despite this, experts believe that severe measures like lockdowns may not be necessary.

Dr. Raman Gangakhedkar, a former head of epidemiology and communicable diseases, expressed concern from an HIV-AIDS perspective. He explained, "Mpox traditionally spreads through close contact with an infected person, but this new lineage also transmits sexually. This raises concerns, especially if individuals with skin lesions try to conceal their infection."

Dr. Gangakhedkar also discussed the effectiveness of current vaccines, noting that while existing vaccines have shown about 80% efficacy, live attenuated vaccines might be more suitable for vulnerable populations. He emphasized that mass vaccination might not be needed immediately, but if it becomes necessary, prioritizing individuals with multiple sexual partners could be an effective strategy.

Efforts by SII and NIV are focused on controlling the Mpox outbreak through vaccine development and strategic isolation measures, aiming to mitigate the impact of this health threat.

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