TB vaccines set to be launched in 2029 have the ability to save the lives of up to 7.3 million people from 2030 to 2050, according to new figures released by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. New figures released by the organisation indicate that the vaccines will result in economic gains of up to USD 135 billion in low- and middle-income countries.
Tuberculosis continues to be one of the biggest infectious-disease burdens in the world, with a total of 10.7 million new TB cases, as well as around 1.2 million deaths due to the disease, recorded for 2024. The licensed vaccine Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been used for more than a century and gives protection against the severe forms of TB in infants and children, but not against pulmonary TB in adolescents and adults.
Vaccines are therefore being created that will help provide immunity to teens and adults as well. As per Gavi's CEO Dr. Sania Nishtar, "Novel TB vaccines may be the next blockbuster vaccination tool," adding that availability of adequate and predictable supply would be important for those countries which have the biggest burden of the disease.
The benefits will not be limited to disease prevention and saving lives. It is estimated by Gavi that a successful adoption of new vaccines for TB could bring considerable economic benefit to the poorer nations as well.
There are various TB vaccine candidates progressing through clinical development, with some candidates expected to make applications for regulatory approvals towards the end of the decade. In its report of 2025, WHO indicated that at least 16 novel TB vaccine candidates were being evaluated in clinical trials, six in Phase III.
One such vaccine candidate attracting considerable attention is M72/AS01E, a vaccine candidate that showed about 50% protection from TB disease in a Phase IIb study in people with evidence of latent TB infection. The results have been described by WHO as a key scientific development in TB vaccine research, although the vaccine candidate is not yet a licensed vaccine.
The analysis done by Gavi also points out the need to be prepared for the vaccine supply chain prior to any approval. Financial uncertainty, demand forecasting, manufacturing capacity, and affordability may affect the speed of introduction of the vaccines in high-burden countries. For this reason, Gavi has started working with partners in order to prepare for the timely introduction of the vaccines after they get approval.
In the same way, WHO has emphasized the importance of coordinated financing, national-level demand forecasting, market transparency, technology transfer, and regional manufacturing in facilitating equitable access to novel TB vaccines. Its analysis projects that global demand could exceed 3 billion vaccine regimens between 2030 and 2040
According to Towards Healthcare, the global vaccines market size is calculated at USD 84.97 billion in 2025, grew to USD 88.40 billion in 2026, and is projected to reach around USD 126.26 billion by 2035. The market is expanding at a CAGR of 4.04% between 2025 and 2035.
Currently, the market comprises BCG vaccines as well as next-generation vaccines which aim at providing better protection against TB. Advances in recombinant vaccines, viral vectors, adjuvants, and clinical vaccine development are being used to develop better vaccines to protect people from TB infections, especially adolescents and adults.
Increased manufacturing capacity, clinical trials, regulatory assessment, and immunization infrastructure for new TB vaccine development are also anticipated to have increased demand. In terms of preparatory work from the likes of Gavi and WHO, the focus of this preparatory work is the development of supply, finance, and country preparedness while developing the TB vaccine candidates.
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is a public-private global health partnership committed to increasing access to immunisation in poorer countries. The organization partners with various organizations to help with vaccine financing, procurement, delivery, and market development. Gavi is currently partnering with others in market preparation and access for possible novel TB vaccines.
