A global coalition to create new vaccines for emerging infectious diseases

Global partnership launched to prevent epidemics with new vaccines

A global coalition to create new vaccines for emerging infectious diseases, designed to help give the world an insurance policy against epidemics, launches today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

With an initial investment of US$460m from the governments of Germany, Japan and Norway, plus the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Trust, CEPI - the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations will seek to outsmart epidemics by developing safe and effective vaccines against known infectious disease threats that could be deployed rapidly to contain outbreaks, before they become global health emergencies.

CEPI also hopes to shorten the time it takes to develop new vaccines to protect against viruses that emerge suddenly as public health threats, as Zika did recently, by capitalising on exciting developments in adaptable vaccine technology and investing in facilities that could respond quickly to previously unknown pathogens.

Today's financial commitments mean that CEPI has raised almost half of the $1bn it needs for its first five years, and it is now calling for proposals from researchers and companies around the world to support the development of vaccines against its first target diseases.

CEPI will initially target the MERS-CoV, Lassa and Nipah viruses, which have known potential to cause serious epidemics. It aims to develop two promising vaccine candidates against each of these diseases before any epidemic, so these are available without delay if and when an outbreak begins. CEPI will also scope out potential support for vaccines against multiple strains of the Ebola and Marburg viruses, and Zika.

To achieve all these goals, CEPI will need significant additional investment, and the initial CEPI funders are calling today for other governments and philanthropic organisations to join them in helping to protect the world against future epidemics. CEPI is looking to complete its fundraising by the end of 2017.

Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway, said: "Just over a year ago 193 states adopted the Sustainable Development Goals — the roadmap for the future we want. Epidemics threaten that future. They can ruin societies on a scale only matched by wars and natural disasters. They respect no borders and don't care if we are rich or poor. Protecting the vulnerable is protecting ourselves. This is why we all must work together to be better prepared — and why my Government is fully committed to ensure that CEPI achieves its mission."

Bill Gates, Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said: "Ebola and Zika showed that the world is tragically unprepared to detect local outbreaks and respond quickly enough to prevent them from becoming global pandemics. Without investments in research and development, we will remain unequipped when we face the next threat.

"The ability to rapidly develop and deliver vaccines when new ‘unknown' diseases emerge offers our best hope to outpace outbreaks, save lives and avert disastrous economic consequences. CEPI is a great example of how supporting innovation and R&D can help the world to address some of its most pressing health challenges."

Dr Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust, said: "We know from Ebola, Zika and SARS that epidemics are among the significant threats we face to life, health and prosperity. Vaccines can protect us, but we've done too little to develop them as an insurance policy. CEPI is our chance to learn the lessons of recent tragedies, and outsmart epidemics with new vaccine defences. If others join us in supporting CEPI, we can realise our goal of creating a safer world."

CEPI is a direct response to calls from four independent expert reports into the Ebola epidemic for a new system for stimulating the development of vaccines against epidemic threats. It was founded by the governments of India and Norway, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome and the World Economic Forum, which has played a key convening role, bringing together stakeholders at the 2016 Davos meeting and other events.

CEPI is also backed by major pharmaceutical corporations, the World Health Organization and Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders, as well as philanthropies and leading academic vaccine research groups.

The Government of India is currently finalising the level of a significant funding commitment to CEPI. In addition to financing for vaccine development that will be available through CEPI's pooled fund, the European Commission will contribute to CEPI's objectives and plans to co-fund actions with CEPI, such as through the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI).

Who is involved

CEPI is an innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic and civil organisations. It was founded by the governments of India and Norway, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome and the World Economic Forum. Other partners include multinational pharmaceutical corporations, the World Health Organization and NGOs.

CEPI is supported by several leading pharmaceutical companies with strength in vaccines — GSK, Merck, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Sanofi and Takeda, plus the Biotechnology Innovation Organisation. CEPI will draw on this deep expertise in vaccine research and development to its efforts. Companies have been developing different models to respond to CEPI's forthcoming request for proposal, for example providing scientific expertise and vaccine development and manufacturing capabilities.

Financial contributions

• The Norwegian Government are preparing for an investment of NOK 1Billion (currently around $120m) for the initial 5 year period.
• The Government of Japan will invest around $25m a year, equivalent to $125M in 5 years.
• The Federal Government of Germany has announced an initial commitment of €10m (around $10.6m) in 2017, and is planning to allocate additional funds over 5 years.
• Wellcome and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will each invest $100m over 5 years.
• The Government of India is one of the founders of CEPI and is currently finalizing the level of a significant funding commitment.
• The European Commission will also contribute to CEPI's objectives and plans to co-fund actions with CEPI, such as through the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI).