admin In a pioneering partnership, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRNA) are joining forces to harness Moderna’s cutting-edge mRNA platform, which proved instrumental in developing highly effective COVID-19 vaccines. This strategic collaboration is poised to accelerate the development of vaccines targeting viral disease outbreaks that pose a global threat to public health. Their efforts are in alignment with the 100 Days Mission, a global initiative aimed at expediting vaccine development timelines to a mere 100 days.
Inspirational Tech
The key to this ambitious mission lies in mRNA technology, recognised for its rapid-response capabilities. It allows for the swift design and preparation of new vaccine candidates as soon as a viral threat emerges. CEPI’s data analysis underscores the potential of mRNA technology to tackle infectious diseases with agility, and Moderna’s mRNA platform has already demonstrated its efficacy with its approved COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, emphasised the pivotal role mRNA vaccine technology can play in preventing future pandemics. He stated, “Future outbreaks are inevitable, but another pandemic is not.” By leveraging mRNA technology, the world gains the capacity to swiftly develop safe and effective vaccines, produced at scale within days of identifying a new viral threat. The partnership with Moderna will harness this capability to prepare for epidemic and pandemic threats within 100 days.
Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, echoed the sentiment, affirming their dedication to public health and mRNA science. Moderna’s mRNA Access program will grant researchers the opportunity to utilise this technology in the development of vaccines for emerging and neglected infectious diseases, thus shaping the next generation of researchers and engineers in the field.
More on the Partnership
The partnership will commence with a project evaluating AI-generated antigen designs and mRNA technology against viral families with a high risk of causing the next pandemic. CEPI-funded researchers will send computational antigen designs to Moderna, who will use their mRNA platform to manufacture the related vaccine candidates, allowing for preclinical testing funded by CEPI. This initiative aims to swiftly identify the most promising antigen designs and assess mRNA vaccine technology’s performance against different disease targets.
CEPI and Moderna also emphasise equitable access to the outcomes of their partnership. CEPI will retain rights to antigen designs generated with CEPI funding, and data generated through this collaboration will be shared in open-access journals for the global scientific community. Any licensed vaccines resulting from this partnership are expected to be made available at affordable prices in low- and middle-income countries.
CEPI and Moderna’s collaboration marks a significant step forward in pandemic preparedness and paves the way for a future where viral threats can be met with rapid, effective vaccine solutions. As both entities explore additional vaccine development projects, their combined efforts promise to shape the landscape of global health and disease response.
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