WHO TB Vaccine Accelerator Forum Convenes as MTBVAC and M72 Enter Final Clinical Trials

The Global TB Burden

Tuberculosis remains one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases. According to WHO data for 2024, approximately 10.7 million people fell ill with TB and 1.23 million died from it globally. The century-old BCG vaccine remains the only approved TB vaccine, but it offers limited protection to adolescents and adults—the populations responsible for the majority of TB transmission.

Breakthrough Vaccine Candidates

• MTBVAC: A live attenuated vaccine developed using genetically modified Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is currently undergoing a Phase III clinical trial. India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has requested additional data from Bharat Biotech regarding their proposed Phase III trial for Indian adolescents and adults.
• M72/AS01E: Developed by GSK, this subunit vaccine demonstrated ~50% efficacy in a Phase IIb trial and is advancing to a larger Phase III. It is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is considered one of the most promising candidates.

WHO Accelerator Council's Three Pillars

The WHO's TB Vaccine Accelerator Council operates across three strategic pillars: Clinical and Policy (guiding trial design and regulatory pathways), Financing and Access (mobilizing funding for manufacturing and equitable distribution), and Country Readiness (preparing health systems for vaccine introduction). A framework review by the Product Development for Vaccines Advisory Committee (PDVAC) is expected in July 2026.

Key Facts for Competitive Exams

• BCG Vaccine: Bacillus Calmette–Guérin, developed in 1921 by Albert Calmette and Camille Guérin.
• Causative Agent of TB: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, discovered by Robert Koch in 1882.
• World Tuberculosis Day: Observed annually on March 24.
• WHO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland. Director-General: Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.