New TB vaccines could save 7 million lives from 2030, says Gavi

New tuberculosis vaccines expected to hit the market from 2029 could save over seven million lives in a decade, according to Gavi, a global vaccine alliance. However, the effectiveness of these new TB shots hinges on ensuring sufficient, predictable, and affordable supply to countries grappling with the highest disease burden. Sania Nishtar, head of Gavi, emphasized that while the current BCG vaccine remains effective in infants and young children, its protection wanes over time.

Gavi is optimistic that the upcoming new vaccines, designed to combat TB in adolescents and adults, will fill this gap. With the first of these candidates expected to receive regulatory approval by the end of the decade, Gavi's latest analysis suggests that these vaccines could avert up to 7.3 million deaths from 2030 through 2050.

The economic benefits could reach up to $135 billion in low- and middle-income nations by mid-century. Nevertheless, supply and funding remain crucial hurdles. Gavi's analysis also flagged risks such as inadequate global and domestic financing, which could hamper uptake in countries, and demand uncertainty, potentially affecting manufacturers' capacity investments for late-stage candidates.

To address these challenges, Gavi is working to guarantee ample and affordable supply of the vaccines once they are licensed, pushing for their integration into routine immunisation, and encouraging a competitive, geographically diverse pipeline of novel TB vaccine candidates.