Danish biotechnology firm Bavarian Nordic A/S announced on Friday that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has given its vaccine against monkeypox, Imvanex, a preliminary approval.

The company said that the EMA has estimated that Imvanex, which treats smallpox, has expressed a "positive option" regarding the extension of the jab's label and having it marketed as a way of protection against monkeypox. Bavarian Nordic's President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Paul Chaplin said the decision "will help to improve access to the vaccine throughout Europe and strengthen the future preparedness against monkeypox."

Back in June, the European Commission's Health Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) announced it has agreed with Bavarian Nordic to buy 110,000 doses of its third-generation monkeypox vaccine.