World Immunization Week 2025: It's Time to Invest in TB Vaccines
This World Immunization Week (April 24–30), we’re spotlighting the urgent need for new tools to eliminate tuberculosis, which remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease. Despite the fact that TB continues to result in 1.25 million deaths each year, we still only have one vaccine that is over a century old. The Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, introduced in 1921, is one of the most widely administered vaccines in human history. However, its effectiveness is limited. It is only partially effective in children and is not effective against TB in adolescents or adults.
But there is hope.
A Growing Pipeline of Promising Candidates
According to the 2024 TB Vaccine Pipeline Report by Treatment Action Group (TAG), 17 vaccine candidates are currently in clinical trials.
One of the most promising candidates is the newly launched IMAGINE (Investigation of MTBVAC toward Accelerating Global Immunization for a Neglected Epidemic) trial led by IAVI and Biofabri (Zendal). This trial is testing the efficacy of MTBVAC to prevent active TB lung disease in adolescents and adults. MTBVAC is the first and only TB vaccine candidate derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and has the potential to offer stronger, longer-lasting protection, especially in adolescents and adults in high-burden countries.
Innovation Alone Isn't Enough: We Must Be Ready
New vaccines are one of the most powerful tools we have in the fight to end TB. If this innovation is backed by funding and political will, we can get closer to the development of a new, more effective vaccine and create a TB-free future for everyone.
But we can’t wait until new vaccines are available to start preparing. In addition to research and development funding, we need proactive planning to ensure vaccines reach the people who need them most. This includes improving the capacity of our health system infrastructures, strengthening procurement, and prioritizing equity in rollout strategies.
Without these steps, even the most effective vaccine will fall short of its potential impact.
It’s Time to Act
Vaccines have saved an estimated 154 million lives over the past 50 years. With the right investments and preparation, we can add TB to the list of vaccine-preventable diseases. But we need to act now. We’re calling on governments, funders, and advocates to support and accelerate efforts to bring the next generation of TB vaccines to the people who need them most. Together, we can create a TB-free world.