A clinical trial in Nepal has found that a Sabin-based inactivated poliovirus vaccine (sIPV) works as well as the conventional vaccine and raises no new safety concerns. The results, published in The Lancet Global Health, could help lower costs and widen access to polio protection worldwide.
A Vaccine Made From a Different Strain
Conventional IPV and Sabin-based IPV are produced using different poliovirus strains. The Nepal study tested sIPV when given alongside bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) as part of a routine immunization schedule recommended by the World Health Organization's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).
Researchers assessed the immune response and safety of the Sabin-based vaccine. They found that it generated strong immune responses, was not inferior to conventional IPV, and raised no new safety concerns.
More Choices for Countries With Tight Budgets
Expanding the range of vaccines available gives countries more options to diversify supply, strengthen vaccine security, and potentially increase competition among manufacturers. Greater competition could help reduce prices and improve equitable access, particularly in countries where immunization resources are limited.
The findings also reinforce existing SAGE recommendations that conventional and Sabin-based IPV can be used interchangeably in routine immunization schedules and for outbreak response. That gives immunization programmes greater flexibility.
Why Nepal's Results Matter Beyond Its Borders
IPV is a critical component of global polio eradication efforts. It protects children against paralysis caused by all three types of poliovirus and will remain essential for maintaining population immunity after wild poliovirus transmission has been stopped.
The long-term stakes are high. Even after polio is eradicated, countries will need to maintain protection against the disease in line with global post-eradication immunization policies. A reliable, affordable, and diversified IPV supply will therefore remain a global public health priority.
The Nepal study adds evidence to efforts to ensure that the benefits of polio eradication can be sustained for generations to come.
