CEPI’s commitment to tackling the mpox emergency
CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations)
We want to stop future epidemics by developing new vaccines for a safer world.
Earlier this month, the Africa CDC and the World Health Organization declared that the ongoing outbreak of mpox in Africa is both a continental and global health emergency.
Although licensed vaccines against mpox exist, there are ongoing challenges with ensuring the timely distribution of these vaccines to affected populations. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)—the epicentre of the current outbreak—has recently approved two mpox vaccines for emergency use, and regionally-led efforts are now underway to secure doses and initiate a vaccination campaign in an urgent bid to halt the spread of the outbreak.
As part of international scientific efforts to advance work on mpox vaccines, CEPI is funding two studies of Bavarian Nordic’s mpox vaccine (MVA-BN?)?in Africa—the first?to assess how well it works in children, and?the second?to evaluate whether post-exposure vaccination could reduce the risk of secondary mpox cases or reduce severity of illness after infection. CEPI is also supporting BioNTech’s?next-generation mRNA-based mpox?vaccine, which is in early clinical development.
But vaccines are just one part of the equation. Only through a combined and aligned response will it be possible to bring an end to this emergency, and to do so equitably. CEPI is working closely with Africa CDC, the WHO and other partners to support regionally-led efforts to tackle this multi-country outbreak.
Other R&D and manufacturing news
CEPI is giving Boost Biopharma?a US$5 million cash injection to advance its cutting-edge rapid antigen design process. This novel approach has the potential to quickly create new vaccines against troublesome viruses.
CEPI is providing up to US$2.05 million to researchers at Afrigen Biologics to explore whether optimised synthetic DNA can help to reduce mRNA vaccine development timelines in support of the 100 Days Mission.
Volunteers in Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria have received IAVI's Lassa fever vaccine in the first-ever Phase 2 trial for this disease. The CEPI-funded study aims to assess the vaccine's safety, tolerability, and immune response at two dosage levels in adults, including those with HIV, as well as in adolescents and children aged two and older.
The Korean Government pledged an additional $18 million to CEPI to ramp up our efforts to advance development and access to vaccines that could help tackle future emerging infectious disease outbreaks in as little as 100 days.
Measuring the impact of a Lassa fever vaccine
A new modelling study published in Nature Medicine has found that deploying a safe and effective Lassa fever vaccine across 15 countries of continental West Africa—where the disease is endemic—could save nearly 3,300 lives over 10 years and avert up to $128 million in societal costs. Being vaccinated against Lassa fever would prevent millions of people from falling sick with the disease and facing prohibitive treatment costs that could otherwise push them below the poverty line.
Although no vaccine is currently licensed for human use, CEPI is one of the world’s leading funders of Lassa fever research, including providing funding for the first-ever Phase 2 Lassa fever trial, which has recently begun vaccinating volunteers across trial sites in West Africa.
Learn more about the impact of a Lassa fever vaccine here.
The Viral Most Wanted: The Picornaviruses
Historically, Polio has been one of the most prolific offenders within the Picornavirus family. There’s evidence to suggest Poliovirus was affecting humankind as far back as Egyptian times, and at its peak in the 1940s and 1950s, it paralysed or killed more than a million people worldwide every year.
With the help of highly effective vaccines and concerted global health efforts, the number of cases has been reduced by more than 99 percent since 1988. Eradicating the disease completely, however—something that has only ever been achieved with one other human disease, Smallpox—is an ongoing challenge. The disease crops up in areas of conflict and poor sanitation and can quickly begin spreading again if immunisation rates fall.
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And Polio isn’t the only member of the Picornaviruses that is a cause for concern; from Hepatitis A to the common cold, this family contains multiple prime suspects for causing human disease.
CEPI welcomes its Biosecurity Game Changers Fellows
CEPI will be hosting two of the inaugural class of Biosecurity Game Changers, a programme set up by the Brown University Pandemic Center.
We welcome Faith Bagamuhunda and Sana Masmoudi who are joining CEPI for a year-long fellowship beginning in September 2024. The fellows represent the next generation of leaders responsible for preventing and preparing for future health security challenges.
???Open Calls for Proposals
As CEPI progresses its Rift Valley fever (RVF) vaccine candidates, it is vital to understand whether an efficacy study is feasible or whether alternative pathways to licensure will need to be considered. This funding Call seeks to advance our understanding of RVF emergence and transmission, potentially identifying RVF hotspots where it may be possible to evaluate how well a human RVF vaccine works.
?? Deadline to apply: Noon, CET, September 20, 2024.
?? Find out more, including application guidance, here.
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??? Tune in
All recordings from the Global Pandemic Preparedness Summit 2024 are now available to watch online.
Hear insights from world-renowned experts around the Summit's three key themes: enhancing global disease surveillance, delivering the 100 Days Mission, and enabling equitable access to health technologies. Plus, delve into other fascinating sessions that explore how ready the world is for a zoonotic influenza pandemic, how climate change is heightening epidemic risk, and much more.
Check out the full Summit programme here
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