• Africa reports 61,383 mpox cases and 296 deaths across 32 countries since 2024
• Africa CDC partners Emergent BioSolutions to support continent-wide clinical trials
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• MOSA trial targets effective mpox treatment, as no dedicated antiviral currently exists
Africa has recorded more than 61,383 cases of mpox and 296 deaths across 32 countries since early 2024, as efforts intensify to develop effective treatment options for the disease on the continent.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday, following a new collaboration agreement between Emergent BioSolutions and the Pandemic Preparedness Platform for Health and Emerging Infections Response (PANTHER).
The partnership is expected to provide additional financial backing for the Africa CDC-led Mpox Study in Africa (MOSA), a continent-wide clinical trial launched in 2024 to evaluate potential treatment options for mpox patients.
MOSA is a double-blind, platform-adaptive clinical trial designed to test emerging therapies across multiple African countries, with a focus on building Africa-led solutions to public health emergencies.
Director-General of Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya, described the study as a major milestone in strengthening the continent’s response to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.
He said the initiative would generate critical evidence to guide treatment decisions while improving Africa’s preparedness and rapid outbreak response capacity.
An independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board reviewed initial safety data from the trial in December 2025 after the first 50 patients were randomised and recommended its continuation, reporting no safety concerns.
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 advancement of Africa-led clinical research.
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He praised Africa CDC, investigators in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and PANTHER for reaching what he described as an important milestone in global health research collaboration.
The study, initially funded by the European Union and Africa CDC, has so far focused largely on the DRC, one of the countries most affected by mpox outbreaks. Plans are underway to expand enrolment to additional countries, including Uganda.
Africa CDC noted that the continent continues to battle both major mpox clades — Clade I, which is endemic to Central Africa and associated with more severe illness, and Clade II, more common in West Africa — alongside emerging subclades such as Ia, Ib, IIa and IIb.
Health experts say the MOSA trial is particularly significant because there is currently no dedicated antiviral treatment for mpox, underscoring the importance of Africa-driven research in strengthening treatment options and pandemic preparedness across the continent.