Since the beginning of the mpox outbreak in 2022, ASPR has worked closely with partners in the federal government and across the country to provide vaccines and therapeutics to protect and treat those who may be impacted by the disease – shipping over one million vials of the JYNNEOS vaccine and over 40,000 treatment courses of TPOXX, TEMBEXA, and VIG-IV from the SNS.

These vaccines and treatments were initially developed as part of the U.S. Government’s smallpox preparedness program – leveraging ASPR expertise and funding to move promising candidates through all phases of advanced development and FDA licensure, and into the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). Thanks to these efforts, the Nation had access to critical medical countermeasures when the mpox virus arrived in the U.S. in May 2022 – and we remain prepared today.

The virus that causes mpox has two Clades, or genetically distinct groups. While Clade IIb has been the cause of the ongoing global outbreak of mpox, we are also monitoring an increase of Clade I in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – working closely with our federal partners to enhance domestic preparedness. If a Clade I case were to be identified in the U.S., our vaccines and therapeutics will continue to be effective , and ASPR will continue to ensure timely availability of these tools when and where they’re needed.

In addition to the mpox preparedness work we are doing at home, ASPR is committed to working with our global partners to support preparedness actions. We have met with partners in DRC to collaborate on technical assistance for preparedness and response activities, such as supporting the appropriate use of vaccines and therapeutics and strategies to enhance national stockpiling of medical countermeasures.

If you are concerned that you may be at higher risk for exposure or have already been exposed to mpox, visit CDC’s website to see if mpox vaccination is recommended for you and use the mpox vaccine locator to find a vaccination site. To learn more about Clade I mpox, you can read CDC’s Mpox Health Advisory distributed to the Health Alert Network in December 2023.

For those diagnosed with mpox, there are options available for obtaining therapeutics. Talk to your provider about what options may be right for you, such as enrolling in the ongoing STOMP trial for TPOXX.