EuBiologics secures WHO prequalification for typhoid vaccine

The Korean company said the World Health Organization has prequalified EuTYPH-C Inj. Multi-dose, a decision that clears the way for UN agencies and other international organizations to consider it for global health programs.

The format is designed for the realities of a mass campaign. Each 2.5-milliliter vial provides five doses, according to EuBiologics, allowing the company to target the storage, distribution and administration needs of large-scale vaccination programs. The vaccine’s performance was assessed in a clinical trial conducted in Kenya and Senegal; according to EuBiologics, it showed similar immunological effectiveness and a comparable safety profile to an existing WHO-prequalified vaccine.

For EuBiologics, the decision adds a second WHO-prequalified product to its portfolio, after its oral cholera vaccine Euvichol received the certification in 2015.

So what changes in practice? EuBiologics can now resume discussions with UNICEF and pursue international public procurement programs—an opportunity that depends on future purchasing decisions, not on prequalification alone. The company said it plans to begin those talks immediately and accelerate its entry into the procurement market.