Africa has recorded more than 61,383 mpox cases and 296 deaths across 32 countries since early 2024, as continent-wide efforts to develop effective treatment options continue to gain momentum.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) disclosed this in a statement made available on Saturday in Abuja. The update followed the announcement of a collaboration agreement between Emergent BioSolutions and the Pandemic Preparedness Platform for Health and Emerging Infections Response.
The partnership aims to provide additional financial support for the Africa CDC-led Mpox Study in Africa (MOSA). Launched in 2024, the MOSA initiative is a double-blind, platform-adaptive clinical trial designed to assess potential treatment options for mpox patients across several African countries.
Africa CDC Director General, Dr Jean Kaseya, described the study as a crucial step towards strengthening the continent’s capacity to respond to emerging and re-emerging public health threats.
“This study represents a critical step in generating evidence to inform mpox treatment and strengthen Africa’s capacity to respond to emerging health threats,” Kaseya said. He added that Africa CDC would continue to work closely with partners to advance research, improve preparedness, and enhance rapid outbreak response across the continent.
An independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board completed its initial review of MOSA safety data in December 2025, after the first 50 patients were randomised, and recommended that the trial continue, with no safety concerns identified.
Commenting on the development, Emergent BioSolutions’ Chief Medical Officer and Head of Research and Development, Dr Simon Lowry, said the company was proud to support the progress of the trial.
“We applaud Africa CDC, the Democratic Republic of the Congo investigators, and PANTHER for reaching this important milestone and remain committed to collaborating with research partners to address global health threats,” Lowry said.
The study, which initially received funding from the European Union and Africa CDC, has focused largely on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the countries most affected by mpox outbreaks. Africa CDC and PANTHER plan to expand the trial to additional countries, including Uganda, as enrolment continues.
Africa CDC noted that the continent is affected by two major mpox clades: Clade I, which is endemic to Central Africa and associated with more severe illness, and Clade II, which is more common in West Africa. Recent outbreaks have also involved subclades such as Clade Ia, Ib, IIa, and IIb.
Health experts said the MOSA trial is particularly significant, as there is currently no dedicated antiviral treatment for mpox. They added that the initiative highlights the importance of Africa-led clinical research in improving treatment options and strengthening pandemic preparedness across the continent.
