JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 2 — South Africa is preparing for the possible introduction of a new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine for adolescents and adults as part of its efforts to eliminate the disease as a public health threat by 2030, the South African Government News Agency reported Sunday.
Preparations are underway for the registration and introduction of the M72/AS01E vaccine candidate, which is currently undergoing phase 3 clinical trials, according to the Department of Health.
The department said the vaccine, if proven safe and effective, could strengthen South Africa’s efforts to prevent TB among adolescents and adults, who account for a significant share of infections and transmission.
The existing Bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccine is primarily administered to infants and young children and offers protection against severe forms of childhood TB, but provides limited protection against pulmonary TB among adolescents and adults.
According to the department, the candidate vaccine is being tested in South Africa and several other countries with a high burden of TB.
The government is also preparing the necessary regulatory, policy and implementation processes to facilitate its possible introduction once the clinical trial has been completed and the vaccine has received approval from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority.
According to local reports, M72/AS01E could become the first new TB vaccine in more than a century and the first specifically designed to protect adolescents and adults. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
