CEPI and the US DFC join forces to tackle future pandemic threats

CEPI and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) have announced a new intention to collaborate and advance global health security by aligning their discussions and investments in global vaccine initiatives, including exploring sustainable pandemic financing tools and supporting localised vaccine production efforts.

Under the new partnership, CEPI and the DFC recognise that fighting infectious disease threats requires a sustained whole of society effort, including leveraging the private sector to finance solutions. The institutions will work together to coordinate and share information with one another on existing projects already funded or otherwise supported by both organisations. They will also look at new innovative vaccine and epidemic preparedness technologies that could be of mutual interest for joint, coordinated investment. 

Additionally, CEPI will support the DFC on the design and implementation of innovative financing mechanisms that could expand predictable, fast and sustainable funding to support vaccine R&D, vaccine manufacturing and scale-up activities in preparation for a future outbreak, as well as surge financing to quickly respond to a fast-emerging viral threat. 

The new collaboration was announced during an event celebrating the 5th anniversary of the DFC in Washington, D.C, held in December 2024.

It builds on an ongoing relationship between CEPI and the DFC formed during the COVID-19 pandemic where the institutions worked together to help save lives by securing specific adjuvants and expanding manufacturing capacity for safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. 

“The DFC is an integral institution within the global health landscape, providing important investments to address some of the most critical challenges facing the world today, including equipping developing countries with tools to prepare for ongoing and future threats” explains Dr Nicole Lurie, CEPI’s Executive Director of Preparedness and Response and US Director. 

“These types of investments and partnerships make everyone safer.  No one organisation or entity can solve the puzzle of impending epidemic and pandemic crises on their own, which is why collaboration is so crucial. With the DFC serving as a key bridge-builder in the pandemic preparedness ecosystem, our new partnership will help to further disrupt the systemic cycle of ‘panic and regret’ that has characterised our response to previous outbreaks and instead ensure innovative technologies and funds get quickly made available to support populations most at risk.”

With both organisations already working on expanding and diversifying vaccine manufacturing and supply chain capacity and capabilities around the world, the new collaboration will seek to align and elevate these efforts. As part of this work, CEPI and the DFC will engage with regional partners, including other development finance institutions, to implement regionally led vaccine production strategies. 

Greater geographically diverse manufacturing can help to overcome the tragic vaccine inequity seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure that regions in the Global South have rapid and equitable access to vaccines for both routine immunisations and vaccines that may need to be quickly produced to respond to future emerging outbreaks. Advanced local manufacturing and supply chains can also help to promote regional self-sufficiency and resilience and reduce local vulnerabilities to global supply chain disruptions.

The DFC is a crucial partner in outbreak response efforts by catalysing private sector financing to address global health challenges. 

Amid global fiscal constraints, private sector financing offers unique advantages to the pandemic preparedness landscape through potentially providing faster and more flexible mobilisation of funding, especially when responding to fast-evolving emergencies.