Vaccine-maker Serum Institute of India (SII) has joined the CEPI network of vaccine producers in the Global South to support more rapid, agile and equitable responses to future public health disease outbreaks. CEPI is investing up to $30 million to build upon SII’s track record of rapid response to outbreaks of infectious diseases.
This initiative will mean the world is better prepared to achieve the 100 Days Mission to develop new vaccines. The inclusion of SII in CEPI’s manufacturing network will be a significant boost to vaccine production efforts in Global South regions. Capability expansion will support the rapid development of outbreak vaccines within three months for use in Global South countries when faced with a future ‘Disease X’.
Adar Poonawalla, CEO of SII, said they were committed to utilising their manufacturing and rapid response capabilities to strengthen epidemic preparedness and increase access to life-saving vaccines for those who need them most at an affordable price. Shortening the time taken to manufacture and validate the first batches of experimental vaccines will be the key to enabling a response to an escalating outbreak within just 100 days – a goal created by CEPI and embraced by the G7, G20 and industry leaders – and could help stop a future pandemic in its tracks.
With CEPI’s funding, SII will also support the development, stockpiling and licensure of new vaccines against CEPI’s priority pathogens. CEPI and SII are exploring which CEPI-backed vaccines SII will be supporting. SII becomes the fourth member of CEPI’s global manufacturing network. Other members include Aspen in South Africa, Institut Pasteur de Dakar in Senegal and Bio Farma in Indonesia.
CEPI is investing up to $30 to expand the company’s ability to swiftly supply investigational vaccines in the face of epidemic and pandemic threats. CEPI-backed vaccine developers will be able to quickly transfer their technology to SII within days or weeks of an outbreak to begin rapid production and equitable distribution of affordable vaccines to affected populations.
Dr Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, said SII’s manufacturing and rapid response capabilities are poised to play a critical role in enabling swift and equitable access to affordable outbreak vaccines for the Global South. Living in an era of heightened epidemic and pandemic risk, evidenced by the increasing prevalence, speed, and spread of outbreaks of infectious diseases, we must prepare to confront these threats head-on to avoid another COVID-like catastrophe in the future, Hatchett said.
The CEPI manufacturing network focuses on vaccine makers in the Global South near areas at high risk of outbreaks caused by deadly viral threats like Lassa Fever, Nipah, Disease X, and other pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential prioritised by CEPI.
According to SII, they had a proven track record of rapid response to outbreaks of infectious diseases. In 2022, the company responded swiftly to an outbreak of Sudan ebola virus in Uganda by delivering doses of the doses of the investigational ChAdOx1 SUDV vaccine in just 80 days.
