TORONTO, Sept. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bavarian Nordic, a leading global supplier of travel vaccines, today announced the commercial availability of VAXCHORA^®—the only single-dose oral vaccine approved in Canada to protect against cholera, a sudden and serious intestinal infection marked by acute watery diarrhea. For approximately 1 in 10 people infected with cholera, a severe presentation of cholera can rapidly cause severe dehydration and death if left untreated¹.

Cholera is endemic to approximately 50 countries¹, and cholera outbreaks are most common in parts of Asia, Africa and Central and South America². Approximately 1.3 million – 4 million cases of cholera occur worldwide each year¹. The World Health Organization estimates that only 5-10% of actual worldwide cases of cholera are reported³. While most commonly transmitted by consuming contaminated water, cholera may also be acquired from eating contaminated raw or undercooked food, especially fish and shellfish⁴.

“Canadians are passionate about exploring. To help them prevent illness while traveling internationally, we are expanding our vaccine offerings to include protection against cholera. Healthcare providers can now offer this new vaccine option to travelers who plan to visit countries where cholera is present,” said Karinne Lacombe, Canada Country Director, Bavarian Nordic.

Since the pandemic, the popularity of international travel for Canadians has been growing. In the first four months of this year, Canadians took 4.2 million trips by air to countries other than the United States; up from 2.8 million during the same time period last year⁵.

People visiting friends and relatives are more likely to eat local food and be exposed to untreated water. This can put them at a greater risk for food- and water-borne diseases, like cholera. Vaccination, good hand hygiene, and safe food and water precautions are key to preventing illness, according to Health Canada⁶.

In addition to VAXCHORA, the Bavarian Nordic Canada travel health portfolio includes a typhoid vaccine. The company plans to launch a rabies vaccine in the coming months.

Approved in Australia, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the United States, VAXCHORA is the only single-dose cholera vaccine approved in Canada and is the only FDA-approved cholera vaccine in the U.S. VAXCHORA helps deliver cholera protection within 10 days after a single oral dose. Healthcare providers can order VAXCHORA through LSU, a specialty pharmacy in Canada which will pack and ship the vaccine.

About Bavarian Nordic
Bavarian Nordic is a fully integrated vaccine company with a mission to protect and save lives through innovative vaccines. We are a global leader in smallpox and mpox vaccines, supplied to governments to enhance public health preparedness and have a strong portfolio of vaccines for travelers and endemic diseases. For more information visit www.bavarian-nordic.com.

About VAXCHORA^®
Approved for use in Canada on January 9, 2024, VAXCHORA^® (Cholera Vaccine, Live Attenuated, Oral) is a single-dose, oral vaccine indicated for the active immunization against diarrheal disease caused by Vibrio cholerae serogroup 01 in persons 2 to 64 years of age travelling to cholera-affected countries. Vibrio cholerae serogroup 01 is the globally dominant cause of cholera¹.

In a clinical trial of adults aged 18 to 45 who were deliberately exposed to live cholera after being vaccinated, VAXCHORA was 90.3% effective at 10 days post-vaccination compared with placebo in preventing moderate to severe diarrhea, and 79.5% effective at 3 months post-vaccination compared with placebo in preventing moderate to severe diarrhea.

The efficacy of VAXCHORA vaccine has not been evaluated in cholera endemic areas. However, it provides protection to vaccine recipients from areas not endemic for cholera, such as Canada, traveling to areas posing a threat of diarrheal disease caused by cholera. Onset of protection against cholera diarrhea can be expected one week after administration.

The vaccine should not replace standard preventive hygiene measures. Travelers should take all necessary precautions to avoid contact with or ingestion of potentially contaminated food or water. Rehydration measures must be taken in the event of diarrhea.

For more information about VAXCHORA, please visit: bnvaccines.ca

Important Safety Information

Do not use VAXCHORA vaccine if:

• You are allergic to any of the ingredients in the vaccine.
• You had allergic reactions when you previously took a cholera vaccine.

To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take VAXCHORA vaccine. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:

• Have a weakened immune system, for example, if you were born with a weakened immune system or if you are having treatments such as high-dose corticosteroid treatment, cancer medicines or radiotherapy that can weaken the immune system.
• Have close contacts who have weakened immunity, as the bacteria from the vaccine may be present in your stool for at least 7 days after you take the vaccine. To prevent any contamination, wash your hands thoroughly after visiting the toilet and before preparing food for at least 14 days after you take VAXCHORA vaccine.

Other warnings you should know about:
Do not give this vaccine to children younger than 2 years of age because it is not known how well it works in this age group.

Use of VAXCHORA vaccine in pregnant or breastfeeding women has not been studied. If you are considering taking VAXCHORA, contact your healthcare professional.

Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.

For more information, please see Full Prescribing Information.

Media are encouraged to visit www.bavarian-nordic.com/media/cholera for additional background information and media kit, including photos and logos.

Sources:

[1]        Collins JP, et al. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2022;71(2):1-8. Accessed September 13, 2024. Cholera Vaccine: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, 2022 | MMWR (cdc.gov)

[2]        Public Health Agency of Canada. Risks of cholera. Accessed September 13, 2024. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/cholera/risks.html

[3]        Ali, Mohammad, et al. “The global burden of cholera.” Bulletin of the World Health Organization, vol. 90, no. 3, 1 Mar. 2012, pp. 209–218. Accessed September 13, 2024. https://doi.org/10.2471/blt.11.093427.

[4]        https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/cholera/professionals.html Accessed September 13, 2024.

[5]        International Travellers Entering or Returning to Canada, by Type of Transportation and Traveller Type, Seasonally-Adjusted, Government of Canada, Statistics Canada, 21 June 2024. Accessed September 13, 2024. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=2410005401&cubeTimeFrame.startMonth=01&cubeTimeFrame.startYear=2023&cubeTimeFrame.endMonth=04&cubeTimeFrame.endYear=2024&referencePeriods=20230101%2C2024040

[6]        https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/friends-relatives-abroad Accessed September 13, 2024.