Oslo, 29 August 2023 (TDI): CEPI has allocated up to $80 million to support the development, production, and vaccination strategies for globally accessible vaccines aimed at combatting outbreak pathogens, including the enigmatic “Disease X.”
This collaboration leverages the University of Oxford’s renowned expertise in vaccinology, manufacturing, and clinical trials.
The university has a proven track record of swiftly responding to outbreaks through the utilization of rapid response vaccine technology, thereby contributing to CEPI’s pandemic preparedness objectives.
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Utilizing the University of Oxford’s ChAdOx technology and other rapid-response vaccine platforms, prototype vaccines can be adapted to target potential pandemic-causing pathogens in as little as 100 days.
In an announcement made on August 29, 2023, CEPI and the University of Oxford unveiled their strategic partnership. CEPI has pledged up to $80 million to support Oxford’s team of vaccine scientists.
They aim to create prototype vaccines for high-risk viral families that can be promptly modified if a novel viral threat emerges.
These vaccines will be built upon Oxford’s ChAdOx technology and other rapid response platforms, potentially enabling the development of new vaccines within a mere 100 days of identifying a virus with pandemic potential.
Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, expressed the importance of this partnership in advancing the “100 Days Mission,” emphasizing the value of Oxford’s ChAdOx technology as a rapid response vaccine platform.
Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group (OVG), highlighted the commitment to pandemic preparedness and building on the university’s extensive vaccine development experience, notably their response to COVID-19 with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
The inevitability of future Disease X outbreaks due to forces like globalization, urbanization, and climate change necessitates proactive preparation.
CEPI is at the forefront of global efforts to develop vaccines against these threats within 100 days, a mission supported by the G7, G20, and industry leaders. Key to this mission are rapid response vaccine platforms, such as ChAdOx, which proved its capability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Professor Teresa Lambe, Calleva Head of Vaccine Immunology, explained that their prior work on a vaccine against MERS expedited the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, showcasing the potential of ChAdOx technology.
CEPI and Oxford’s partnership aims to create prototype vaccines based on ChAdOx and other rapid response platforms, which will be a part of the Global Vaccine Library.
This library will store knowledge, data, and resources that can accelerate the development of life-saving vaccines when Disease X strikes.
The collaboration will also optimize the ChAdOx manufacturing process for quicker vaccine production during outbreaks and support Oxford’s clinical trial sites worldwide.
Additionally, community engagement and social science activities will be undertaken in affected communities to address vaccine confidence and devise immunization strategies.
