nOPV2
To better address the evolving risk of type 2 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV2), GPEI partners are working to deploy an additional innovative tool – novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2). The vaccine is a modified version of the existing type 2 monovalent OPV (mOPV2), which clinical trials have shown provides comparable protection against poliovirus while being more genetically stable and less likely to revert into a form which can cause paralysis in low immunity settings. The vaccine’s increased genetic stability means there is also a reduced risk of seeding new cVDPV2 outbreaks, compared to mOPV2.
nOPV2 will be deployed under WHO’s Emergency Use Listing procedure (EUL) to enable its rapid field availability. Even after meeting rigorous EUL criteria for safety and immunogenicity, nOPV2’s performance in the field will be closely monitored in line with EUL standards and data collection will continue, with the ultimate goal of WHO prequalification.
Key Resources
- GPEI nOPV2-cVDPV2 fact sheet | English | French |
- nOPV2 Overview Presentation | English |
- nOPV2 technical brief | English | Arabic |
- nOPV2 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) | English | Arabic |
- Novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) animation video | English | French | Portuguese | Spanish |
- WHO Emergency Use Listing procedure infographic | English | French |
- Clinical summary for novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) |English | French | Arabic
- Scientific publications on nOPV2
- Engineering the Live-Attenuated Polio Vaccine to Prevent Reversion to Virulence(2020 Cell Host & Microbe publication)
- Development of a new oral poliovirus vaccine for the eradication end game using codon deoptimization(2020 npj Vaccines publication)
- The safety and immunogenicity of two novel live attenuated monovalent (serotype 2) oral poliovirus vaccines in healthy adults: a double-blind, single-centre phase 1 study(2019 Lancet publication)
- Polio endgame options: will we have the vaccines needed? (2019 Lancet commentary)
- Poliopolis(2019 correspondence in The Lancet)
- Poliopolis: pushing boundaries of scientific innovations for disease eradication(2019 Future Microbiology publication)
- Polio vaccination: past, present, and future(2015 Future Microbiology publication)
- Intestinal antibody responses to two novel live attenuated type 2 oral poliovirus vaccines in healthy adults in Belgium (2021 Journal of Infectious Diseases publication)
- GPEI polio outbreak response training
- Introduction of nOPV2 for Polio Outbreak Response: Supervisory manual | English | French |
- Interim Guidance on the use of Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2 (nOPV2) for the response to Type 2 Circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus (cVDPV2) during the Initial Use Period (Addendum to the Standard Operating Procedures for Response to a Poliovirus Event or Outbreak, version 3. 1) | English | French | Portuguese |
- nOPV2 Management, Monitoring, Removal and Disposal (in 50 dose vials with VVM type 2) | English | French | Portuguese |
- Polio Field and Laboratory Surveillance Requirements in the Context of nOPV2 Use | English| French | Portuguese |
- Novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) Vaccine-Related Event (VRE) Response Plan | English | French | Arabic | Portuguese |
- Guide for Surveillance of Adverse Events of Special Interest (AESI) during novel Oral Polio Vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) Use | English | French | Portuguese |
- UNICEF Strategic C4D Communications Guidance for Outbreak Response including nOPV2 | English | French |
- Framework for the Initial Use of nOPV2, endorsed by the SAGE | English | French |
- WHO Executive Board decision urging Member States to expedite processes for authorizing the importation and use of nOPV2 on the basis of its emergency use listing – February 2020 | English| French|
- SAGE Recommendations – October 2020 Meeting (Weekly Epidemiological Record 9548)
- SAGE Recommendations April 2020 Meeting (Weekly epidemiological record 9522) – English and French
- SAGE Recommendations, October 2019 Meeting (Weekly epidemiological record 9447) – English and French
Media center
- Novel Oral Polio Vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) granted interim Emergency Use Listing recommendation
- Recommandation provisoire d’autorisation d’utilisation d’urgence pour un nouveau vaccine
- Special edition of Polio News – May 2020
Additional Resources and Updates
- Strategy for the Response to Type 2 Circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus 2020–2021 |English |
- nOPV2 Working Group:
- GACVS sub-committee on novel OPV2 safety
