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The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and partners unveiled on Thursday an initiative to match coronavirus vaccine manufacturers and suppliers of vaccine materials. The goal is to address “short-term bottlenecks” in the production of COVID-19 vaccines, with a focus on doses intended for distribution via COVAX, the global procurement mechanism for COVID-19 vaccines.
Why it matters: Manufacturers and suppliers will have access to a secure platform under The COVAX Marketplace, through which they can indicate their needs or available supplies to CEPI, which will act as a facilitator by matching requests and offers. CEPI will prioritize based on manufacturers fulfilling few criteria, such as having advance purchase agreements with COVAX and the World Health Organization emergency use listing, as well as the volume of doses and timing of delivery, according to a news release.
Although participants can offer and request any materials for vaccine production, the marketplace will initially focus on bioreactor bags, single-use assemblies, cell culture media, filters, lipids, vials, and stoppers.
How it will work: The marketplace initially will cater to 10-15 participants involving COVAX vaccine manufacturers and suppliers of “most urgently needed” key materials. But CEPI is looking at the possibility of adding other stakeholders in the future, such as vaccine manufacturers with unused materials, contract development and manufacturing organizations, and pharmaceutical companies not involved in COVID-19 vaccine production, using the platform to also address supply challenges for other lifesaving treatments and vaccines.
About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
