WHO grants AJ Vaccines prequalification for new polio vaccine

On Tuesday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) granted international vaccine manufacturer, AJ Vaccines, the prequalification for Picovax®, the first stand-alone dose sparing Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV).

During the past two years, polio has reared its ugly head once again in a few countries. To ensure that the disease does not wreak havoc in many countries around the world and is kept in check, AJ Vaccines’ dose sparing technology provides a significant opportunity to expand supply, with the potential to deliver up to 100 million doses over the five-year period 2020-2024 to help meet the currently unmet global demand for inactivated polio vaccines.

“The WHO prequalification is an acknowledgement of our continued investment which enables AJ Vaccines to serve the growing demand for effective polio vaccines and we hereby open a new chapter in the company’s continued journey to serve the Danish population and a growing number of people globally”, says Mr. Abdulaziz Hamad Aljomaih, founding principal investor in AJ Vaccines.

Getting the prequalification from the WHO did not come easily, though. It was a result of the hard work, commitment and dedication from AJ Vaccines’ employees. “The prequalification is a recognition of our dedicated employees’ competencies and embodies the essence of our company’s vision, striving for a world free of serious diseases across generations”, says Dr. Tabassum Khan, Chairman of AJ Vaccines.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation also contributed to ensure the vaccine saw the light of day. And here’s what Jérôme Cabannes, COO AJ Vaccines, has to say about the vaccine’s importance.  “The dose sparing technology secures a much-needed increase in supply, helping to meet the increasing demand for inactivated polio vaccines to support the Global Polio Eradication Initiative”.