The new vaccine, named MOPV1, will be used first in Egypt as a critical part of a new World Health Organization (WHO) strategy to end polio transmission by the end of 2005.
The WHO asked the company to mount an urgent program to develop, produce and license MOPV1 to meet this important public health need. Types 2 and 3 poliovirus have already been eliminated from Egypt, leaving only type 1 poliovirus in circulation.
Current polio vaccines contain the three types of virus. Scientists believe that the single strain will be more efficient than a trivalent vaccine in stopping the virus. Sanofi Pasteur has produced 50,000,000 doses of MOPV1 for use, once licensed by the National Organization for Drug Control and Research of Egypt, in mass immunization campaigns starting in May.
“We’ve been proud to be part of polio vaccine history for 50 years, but this latest chapter is particularly significant because of this vaccine’s potentially unique role in helping to move eradication back on track,” said David Williams, chairman and CEO of Sanofi Pasteur and senior vice president of vaccines for the Sanofi-Aventis Group.
Sanofi Pasteur also will provide bulk MOPV1 to one manufacturer in India to fill and package for local use.