Zurich—Roche CEO Thomas Schinecker revealed on Wednesday that mpox cases in Europe may be higher than previously reported, with many yet to reach the public eye. Speaking after the Swiss pharmaceutical giant announced its quarterly sales, Schinecker emphasized that Roche is prepared to significantly scale up its test kit production to meet a potential surge in demand.
“It appears there are more mpox cases in Europe, though not all may have been reported in the media yet,” Schinecker said during a conference call. His comments follow Germany’s detection of a new mpox variant, confirmed by the Robert Koch Institute on Tuesday. While the public health authority downplayed the immediate risk to the wider population, the development signals heightened vigilance across the continent.
Currently, demand for Roche’s mpox test kits remains moderate, but Schinecker reassured that the company is ready to ramp up production if needed. “We could manage 10 times higher demand,” he stated, noting that in the event of a pandemic scenario with rapid virus spread, Roche would need approximately six to nine months to further increase its diagnostic capabilities.
This comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency in August, following an outbreak of a new mpox strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo that spread to neighboring countries. The virus, which first spread outside Africa on August 15 when a case was confirmed in Sweden, continues to pose a public health threat as new cases emerge across Europe.
Roche’s swift response to rising mpox cases underscores the growing concern over potential underreporting and the company’s readiness to address a more widespread outbreak if necessary.
Key Points:
- Rising Mpox Cases in Europe: Roche CEO Thomas Schinecker stated that more cases of mpox may already be present in Europe, with some potentially unreported.
- Germany Detects New Variant: The Robert Koch Institute confirmed Germany’s first case of a new mpox variant, though the risk to the general public is considered low.
- Roche’s Preparedness: Roche is ready to increase mpox test kit production by up to 10 times the current demand if needed.
- Pandemic Scenario Planning: In case of a rapid mpox outbreak, Roche would need six to nine months to further boost test kit production.
- Global Health Emergency: The WHO declared mpox a global health emergency in August, after an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo spread to neighboring countries, with the first case outside Africa confirmed in Sweden on August 15.
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