Developing vaccines against epidemic-prone emerging infectious diseases

Area of Science:

• Global Health Security
• Epidemiology
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Increasing global population density, mobility, urbanization, and climate change drive the emergence of infectious diseases.
• Outbreaks like Ebola in West Africa and the DRC highlight the significant morbidity, mortality, and economic impact of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs).
• Existing global health security frameworks necessitate coordinated international action for epidemic preparedness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI) as a global partnership addressing the threat of EIDs.
• To outline CEPI's strategic focus on developing vaccines for priority pathogens identified by the World Health Organization (WHO).
• To describe CEPI's commitment to supporting research and infrastructure crucial for rapid vaccine development and deployment.

Main Methods:

• CEPI supports candidate vaccines against WHO Blueprint priority pathogens including MERS-CoV, Nipah virus, Lassa fever virus, Rift Valley fever virus, and Chikungunya virus.
• CEPI's vaccine portfolio utilizes diverse technologies such as recombinant viral vectors, nucleic acids, and recombinant proteins.
• CEPI funds scientific projects for biological standards, assays, animal models, epidemiological studies, diagnostics, and clinical trial capacity building.

Main Results:

• CEPI has established a diverse portfolio of candidate vaccines employing various technological platforms.
• CEPI actively supports essential research and development activities to accelerate vaccine preparedness.
• CEPI fosters international collaboration among public, private, philanthropic, and civil society organizations.

Conclusions:

• CEPI is a vital global partnership dedicated to preventing future epidemics through coordinated vaccine development and deployment.
• Investing in vaccine innovation and preparedness is crucial for mitigating the impact of emerging infectious diseases.
• CEPI's multi-faceted approach, encompassing diverse technologies and supporting infrastructure, strengthens global health security.