Roche Increases Production of Mpox Diagnostic Tests Amid Global Resurgence
ZURICH, Switzerland — Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche announced a significant boost in its production capacity for diagnostic tests aimed at detecting mpox, responding to a sudden resurgence of the virus that has garnered international concern.
During the company’s third quarter sales presentation, Roche’s CEO, Thomas Schinecker, disclosed efforts to ramp up production, emphasizing the urgency to meet the rising demand due to new outbreaks. "We’ve ramped up our production in order to meet potential demand," Schinecker informed reporters.
In recent months, African countries have witnessed fresh outbreaks of the viral disease, with over 1,100 mpox-related deaths recorded on the continent this year, as per data from the African Union’s health agency. Alarmingly, the virus, which has historically been endemic to central Africa, is breaking geographical barriers. Germany recently reported its first case of the new variant, mpox clade 1b, and similar cases have been identified in Sweden and Thailand. "It seems like there are more cases in Europe," Schinecker remarked, highlighting an uptick not yet fully reflected in media reports.
Mpox, previously recognized as monkeypox, is a virus akin to smallpox, manifesting symptoms such as fever, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that evolves into blisters. It comprises two subtypes — clade 1 and clade 2. The disease gained global attention in May 2022 when clade 2 began spreading internationally, predominantly affecting gay and bisexual men, which led to the World Health Organization declaring a global health emergency in July 2022. Although the emergency status was lifted in May 2023 due to successful vaccination and awareness campaigns, a new epidemic involving both the original clade 1 and the new clade 1b emerged primarily in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Roche, already a leader in diagnostics, initially developed its PCR test for mpox detection during the 2022 outbreak. Schinecker, formerly the head of Roche’s diagnostics unit, hinted at the company’s readiness to scale up production tenfold if necessary. "We are well set up to increase production output," Roche asserted in an email to AFP, confirming they have tests in stock to meet global needs.
On the financial front, Roche reported a robust performance for the first nine months of the year, crossing expectations with a two percent increase in sales, bringing in nearly 45 billion Swiss francs (approximately US$52 billion). As the world’s leading manufacturer of cancer drugs and a major player in diagnostic testing, Roche is preparing to play a crucial role in managing the global health challenge posed by the mpox resurgence, aiming to swiftly meet the growing need for reliable diagnostic tools during this critical time.
