Bavarian Nordic announces commercial availability of VAXCHORA in Canada

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