The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations’ new five-year plan will require $3.5 billion to deliver on some ambitious goals. This includes the development of universal coronavirus vaccines, and ensuring vaccines can be developed within 100 days.
The investment will also help develop vaccines for other disease threats. CEPI has already provided funding for a phase 3 trial of a Chikungunya vaccine, phase 1 clinical trials of Nipah virus and Lassa virus vaccines, as well as preclinical trials of vaccines against Rift Valley Fever.
CEPI says part of the plan is supporting low- and middle-income countries to develop their own infrastructure and expertise to conduct epidemiological and clinical studies, support technology transfers and establish national and regional vaccine manufacturing — a key issue for COVID-19 as vaccine demand outstrips current supplies.
Why it matters: Apart from ensuring there is vaccines for future threats, the plan to support LMICs’ capacities to conduct clinical trials and build their own vaccine manufacturing is crucial to prevent a future where high-income countries buy up limited vaccine supplies in the market, leaving lower-income countries to rely on donations or wait until more doses are produced.
The caveat: The plan doesn’t mention intellectual property rights and waivers, which is a hotly debated issue amid the current pandemic.
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.
