Broadly protective coronavirus vaccines
CEPI has invested over US$200 million in a portfolio of broadly protective Coronavirus vaccine projects. Through these investments CEPI aims to strengthen global preparedness against a range of Coronavirus threats, from Sarbecoviruses to zoonotic coronaviruses that could spill over into human populations.
Threat of novel coronaviruses
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated to the world the serious threat posed by Coronaviruses. Thanks to concerted global R&D efforts, multiple safe and effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are now in use. But this virus is just one of many Coronaviruses with epidemic or pandemic potential.
SARS-CoV-2 was the third novel coronavirus to have made the jump from animals into humans since 2000. That is why it is crucial that the world continues to invest in Coronavirus R&D to help humanity stay one step ahead.
Evolving investments to an evolving threat
Realising the threat of SARS-CoV-2 variants early in the COVID-19 pandemic, and the broader threat posed by Betacoronaviruses, a family of viruses which includes Sarbecoviruses like SARS-CoV-2, CEPI launched an ambitious call for proposals in March 2021. It sought to partner with vaccine developers with the potential to make variant-proof COVID-19 vaccines as well as vaccines that could provide broad protection against Betacoronaviruses.
Thankfully, available COVID-19 vaccines continue to provide robust protection against severe disease and hospitalisation caused by SARS-CoV-2 variants. This means that the need and urgency for variant-proof vaccines has reduced. But the wider threat of Betacoronaviruses remains. Therefore, CEPI has evolved its vaccine development investment strategy to focus on strengthening global preparedness against a range of Coronavirus threats, from Sarbecoviruses to zoonotic Coronaviruses that could spill over into human populations.
CEPI has invested over US$200 million in a portfolio of 14 broadly protective Coronavirus vaccine projects, 11 of which remain active. Each of these projects is designed to provide broad protection within the Betacoronavirus family, including against Sarbecoviruses (eg. SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2) and Merbecoviruses (eg, MERS-CoV ). Crucially, the vaccines that CEPI is supporting are built using a range of technologies each with specific advantages—from thermostability to ease of administration—and use different strategies for eliciting broad of immunity.
