Letter to Bavarian Nordic Urging Equitable Access to Mpox Vaccine

Paul Chaplin
Bavarian Nordic A/S
Philip Heymans Alle 3
DK-2900 Hellerup
Denmark

August 22, 2024

Dear Mr. Chaplin,

We write today concerned about Bavarian Nordic’s profiteering approach to pricing and access for your mpox vaccine Jynneos (MVA-BN).

During the 2022-3 global outbreak of mpox, we wrote to you expressing concern that Jynneos’ pricing posed a barrier to access.

When asked about Jynneos’ price, a Bavarian Nordic spokesperson said that the company does not comment on prices.^[1] Today, your message remains the same. “We don’t tend to talk about price,” you maintained in a recent interview.^[2]In the interview, you indicated a willingness to do more to help tackle the current outbreak. Yet, it appears that much of your approach remains unchanged.

In 2022, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) resolved to procure mpox vaccines despite Bavarian Nordic’s refusal to provide a single low price for all PAHO Member States.^[3] Consequently, the vaccine cost much more than any of the other vaccines available through the Revolving Fund, PAHO’s bulk vaccine purchaser. In negotiations with manufacturers, the Revolving Fund usually seeks to obtain a supplier’s lowest available price to ensure that all PAHO Member States can access affordable vaccines, regardless of size or level of development.^[4]

Given Bavarian Nordic’s troubling approach to pricing with PAHO then, we remain concerned about pricing implications now for group procurement by Africa CDC and multilateral purchasers such as Gavi, as well as wider ramifications for the global public health response.

In 2022, we estimated a price of $110 per dose based on publicly available Canadian procurement data.^[5] Now, Africa CDC has indicated a price of $100 per dose, stating that this would be prohibitively expensive for many African countries.^[6]

We again urge you to reconsider this approach and commit to a more public health-focused strategy. This should include providing not-for-profit or discounted pricing to LMICs, as well as publishing delivery schedules and prices. Without changing its pricing and transparency practices, we fear that Bavarian Nordic may be exploiting the latest global health crisis, putting profits over people.

While you have indicated steps taken toward technology transfer to boost supply if needed,^[7] we urge Bavarian Nordic to ensure that tech transfer includes manufacturers in the Global South and goes beyond fill and finish. In 2022, we identified nine global manufacturers, six of which are situated in LMICs, that use similar production processes to the Jynneos vaccine (with products priced around $4 per dose).^[8] Working with manufacturers in LMICs, Bavarian Nordic and partners can help scale up low-cost production.

While many actors have roles to play in ensuring a coordinated international effort to contain the spread of mpox, including how best to make use of vaccines, we must question why Bavarian Nordic refuses to adjust its unconscionable approach to pricing and access.

^[1] https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/08/mpox-simmers-south-of-the-border-00081626
^[2] https://www.statnews.com/2024/08/16/bavarian-nordic-jynnneos-mpox-vaccine-maker-8-million-doses-next-year/
^[3] https://www.paho.org/sites/default/files/cdss2-fr-e-final-report_0.pdf
^[4] https://www.paho.org/sites/default/files/cdss2-fr-e-final-report_0.pdf
^[5] https://www.citizen.org/article/letter-to-bavarian-nordic-urging-equitable-access/
^[6] https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2024/08/14/g-s1-16977/mpox-public-health-emergency-world-health-organization-who
^[7] https://www.statnews.com/2024/08/16/bavarian-nordic-jynnneos-mpox-vaccine-maker-8-million-doses-next-year/
^[8] https://www.citizen.org/article/ramping-up-mpxv-vaccine-production/