In a significant development in the battle against cholera, the World Health Organization (WHO) has granted prequalification to a novel oral vaccine on April 12th. The newly prequalified vaccine, Euvichol-S, boasts a simplified formulation while maintaining similar efficacy to existing vaccines. This breakthrough paves the way for a swift escalation in production capacity, offering a ray of hope to communities grappling with cholera outbreaks.

Dr. Rogerio Gaspar, Director of the WHO Department for Regulation and Prequalification, emphasized the importance of this milestone, stating, “The new vaccine is the third product of the same family of vaccines we have for cholera in our WHO prequalification list.” This move is anticipated to facilitate a rapid scaling up of production and distribution, addressing the urgent needs of regions battling cholera outbreaks.

Notably, Euvichol-S joins the ranks of Euvichol and Euvichol-Plus, existing inactivated oral cholera vaccines already included in the WHO prequalification list. All three vaccines are manufactured by EuBiologicals Co., Ltd, Republic of Korea, underscoring the company’s commitment to combating cholera globally.

Cholera, a waterborne disease, has witnessed a surge in cases, with 473,000 reported to WHO in 2022 – double the number from the previous year. Alarmingly, projections estimate a further increase of 700,000 cases for 2023. Currently, 23 countries are grappling with cholera outbreaks, with particularly severe impacts observed in the Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Somalia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

While vaccines offer a crucial intervention to prevent and control cholera outbreaks, challenges persist, especially in countries facing deficiencies in safe water, hygiene, and sanitation. Nevertheless, the prequalification of Euvichol-S heralds a promising step forward in the global fight against cholera.

Source by World Health Organization