ABUJA, Nigeria – The World Health Organization has prequalified an additional novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), a move expected to strengthen global response to poliovirus outbreaks and accelerate eradication efforts.
In an update released on Friday, WHO said the newly approved vaccine meets international standards for quality, safety and efficacy, allowing it to be procured by UN agencies, including UNICEF, for outbreak response programmes.
The vaccine is produced by Biological E. Limited, using bulk material developed through a technology transfer from PT Bio Farma.
WHO said expanding the pool of nOPV2 manufacturers will improve supply reliability and ensure faster access for countries battling circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2, particularly in under-immunised communities.
The nOPV2 vaccine was developed to be more genetically stable than the traditional oral polio vaccine, reducing the risk of seeding new outbreaks while remaining effective in interrupting virus transmission.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said vaccination efforts are already yielding results, noting a significant decline in reported wild polio cases in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
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