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The international Unity study for antivirals against mpox is a blueprint for future epidemics

Nature Medicine volume 29, pages 1894–1895 (2023)Cite this article

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In 2022, the world experienced an unprecedented outbreak of mpox (formerly called monkeypox). Most cases were reported among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Europe, the USA and Latin America1,2. At the time of writing, the epidemic is under control in most countries where mpox was not previously endemic. Nevertheless, the disease remains endemic in Africa, and the potential for its re-emergence outside endemic Africa exists.

Current treatments for mpox were approved in Europe and USA based on animal efficacy and safety studies along with human pharmacokinetics and safety studies. However, these treatments have yet to be tested for efficacy in randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The 2022 global spread of this disease, which was previously neglected and restricted to few countries in Africa, is a wake-up call for international collaboration to confirm the efficacy of therapeutics for mpox through RCTs3.

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References

  1. Girometti, N. et al. Lancet Infect. Dis. 22, 1321–1328 (2022).

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  2. World Health Organization. https://worldhealthorg.shinyapps.io/mpx_global/ (accessed 5 February 2023).

  3. Tomori, O. & Ogoina, D. Science 377, 1261–1263 (2022).

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  4. World Health Organization. go.nature.com/3BWl8ji (2022).

  5. World Health Organization. go.nature.com/3N5Yvzj (2022).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ANRS|Emerging Infectious Diseases/Inserm, Paris, France

    Erica Telford, Nicolas Pulik, Alpha Diallo & Yazdan Yazdanpanah

  2. Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Beatriz Grinsztejn

  3. Department of Research Support for Clinical Trials, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

    Inge Christoffer Olsen

  4. Département d’Épidémiologie, Biostatistique et Recherche Clinique, Hôpital Bichat, AP-HP, Paris, France

    France Mentré & Skerdi Haviari

  5. Université de Paris, IAME, Inserm, Paris, France

    France Mentré & Yazdan Yazdanpanah

  6. HIV/AIDS Unit, Infectious Diseases Division, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland

    Maxime Hentzien, Olivier Ségéral & Alexandra Calmy

  7. Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Miquel B. Ekkelenkamp

  8. Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Niger Delta University/Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Bayelsa, Nigeria

    Dimie Ogoina

  9. PANTHER, Paris, France

    Nathalie Strub-Wourgaft

  10. Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Hôpital Bichat, AP-HP, Paris, France

    Yazdan Yazdanpanah

Authors
  1. Erica Telford
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  2. Beatriz Grinsztejn
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  3. Inge Christoffer Olsen
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  4. Nicolas Pulik
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  5. France Mentré
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  6. Skerdi Haviari
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  7. Maxime Hentzien
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  8. Olivier Ségéral
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  9. Miquel B. Ekkelenkamp
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  10. Dimie Ogoina
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  11. Nathalie Strub-Wourgaft
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  12. Alpha Diallo
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  13. Yazdan Yazdanpanah
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  14. Alexandra Calmy
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexandra Calmy.

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Competing interests

M.H. received travel fees and/or honorary for lectures from Gilead Science, ViiV Healthcare, Mylan, MSD and Menarini in the past 3 years. Y.Y. has been a board member receiving consultancy fees from AbbVie, BMS, Gilead, MSD, J&J, Pfizer and ViiV Healthcare; all of these activities stopped in the past 4 years. All other authors declare no conflicts.

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Telford, E., Grinsztejn, B., Olsen, I.C. et al. The international Unity study for antivirals against mpox is a blueprint for future epidemics. Nat Med 29, 1894–1895 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02393-6

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