South Africa Prepares for Rollout of First New Adult TB Vaccine in Over a Century

Pretoria, The Gulf Observer: South Africa’s Department of Health has announced that it is preparing for the potential introduction of a new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine for adolescents and adults, describing the development as a major breakthrough in the country’s fight against one of its deadliest infectious diseases.

The vaccine candidate, M72/AS01E, has shown promising results in Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials and is currently undergoing Phase 3 trials in South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, and Indonesia. Health authorities said that, if approved, it would become the first new TB vaccine introduced in more than 100 years.

The Department of Health noted that the existing Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is primarily administered to newborns and young children, offering limited protection against tuberculosis in adolescents and adults. A successful new vaccine would therefore represent a significant advancement in global efforts to control and eliminate the disease.

To ensure rapid access once regulatory approval is granted, the department said it is proactively preparing for the vaccine’s registration, procurement, and rollout. Officials also confirmed that the Gates Medical Research Institute and the Gates Foundation have reached an agreement with the Serum Institute of India to manufacture and distribute the vaccine globally. Production is expected to expand over time through pharmaceutical partners in South Africa and Indonesia, supporting local industry and economic growth.

South Africa has set a target of eliminating tuberculosis as a public health threat by 2030. Health authorities said the introduction of an effective adult TB vaccine would be a “game-changer” in achieving that goal and reducing the country’s heavy burden of TB, which remains one of the leading causes of death.