by Guest Editor | Aug 20, 2024 | Technology |
This is a guest post, kindly authored by Giulia Balconi of Adjuvant Capital.
Earlier this month, Valneva (NASDAQ: VALN) and LimmaTech Biologics announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the development of a quadrivalent vaccine against Shigella, known as Shigella4V (S4V). Under this collaboration, LimmaTech will complete a Phase II Controlled Human Infection Model and a Phase II pediatric study in low- and middle-income countries, while Valneva will take over future clinical development, as well as CMC, regulatory approval, and commercialization. Thanks to this collaboration, S4V is poised to enter Phase III studies later in 2027.
Shigella is the second-leading cause of diarrheal mortality globally, with an estimated 80-165 million cases and up to 600,000 fatalities every year. Despite the high incidence, there is currently no approved vaccine widely available for Shigella, and current treatment remains symptomatic and mainly relies on oral replacement of fluids and salts, as well as administration of antibiotics. Over the past few years, an increase in antibiotic resistant infections has raised the attention of the global health community. Shigella was identified by the World Health Organization as one of the top priority pathogens for the development of a new vaccine and was also included in the most recent Gavi Vaccine Investment Strategy.
With a vaccine for Shigella potentially on the horizon, a step back in time might help illuminate how this vaccine—once considered a long-shot—has advanced to late-stage development. In 2015, GSK acquired GlycoVaxyn, a Swiss biotech focused on bioconjugation technology with a promising vaccine candidate targeting Shigella, which generated positive Phase I data in 2010. Following the acquisition, GlycoVaxyn’s operational research business spun-out into LimmaTech Biologics, a new entity designed to collaborate with GSK on future bacterial vaccine development.
In partnership with GSK, and with support from the Wellcome Trust, LimmaTech continued development, refining a 4-valent construct (S4V) targeting the most prevalent serotypes, which entered a Phase I/II clinical trial in Kenya in 2019, and secured non-dilutive funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in December 2022.
With the Phase I/II study in Kenya ongoing, LimmaTech announced an in-licensing agreement with GSK last year to further develop and commercialize S4V for the target pediatric population as well as for travelers and military personnel in endemic regions. Shortly thereafter, LimmaTech closed a Series A financing led by renowned global health impact funds to support S4V development in addition to the company’s earlier stage pipeline, which aims to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. In a matter of just over a year, a flurry of dealmaking has brought S4V into the spotlight.
Although there is much work left to do, the story of S4V reflects the difficulties and opportunities in developing vaccines for global health. Consequently, the recent activity surrounding the program highlights the need for closer collaboration among big pharma, biotech, global health funders, and institutional investors to ultimately drive the development of much needed vaccines for diseases that disproportionately burden low- and middle-income countries. Almost 15 years after the initial Phase I study, there appears to be a path forward for a Shigella vaccine that could have a tremendous global impact and bring hope for millions of patients in underserved markets.
Giulia Balconi, M.P.H., supports research efforts at Adjuvant Capital, an impact investment firm supporting life sciences technology companies focused on historically neglected diseases and maternal/child health. Note, Adjuvant Capital has provided funding to LimmaTech Biologics.
We’re grateful to Giulia for these insights into vaccine development! To join discussions about vaccine progress and collaborative efforts to improve global health, don’t forget to get your tickets to the Congress in Barcelona this October, and subscribe to our weekly newsletters for more expert insights.
by Guest Editor | Apr 12, 2024 | Infection |
This article is a guest post, kindly contributed by Giuliana Furiato.
Measles is a viral illness caused by infection with the measles virus. The first symptoms are fever, then cough, runny nose, and red eyes. It culminates as a rash of tiny, red spots which starting from the head spreads to the rest of the body. Measles virus is highly contagious, and it is transmitted from person to person by respiratory droplets, small particle aerosols, and close contact. In fact, it can stay in the air for up to 2 hours after an infected person has released it.
Despite the ease of contagion, the epidemiology of measles is variable across the globe. But why?
This infection occurs only in humans; animals are not a potential reservoir of infected particles. However, among the human population three different classes of people can be identified: vaccinated, non-vaccinated but infected, non-vaccinated non-infected. The former are protected due to vaccination, the second due to primary infection, but the latter are a potential target for viral particles. In this last group there are people who have not been vaccinated yet (i.e. young infants), and those who can’t receive a vaccine, such as pregnant women and immunocompromised patients.
What is the difference between these three groups? While the first two groups may be healthy carriers and, therefore, contract the virus but not manifest symptoms, the last group manifests typical symptoms that in a minority of cases can be fatal. While healthy people can survive measles infection complications, those who are immunosuppressed and, therefore, have a compromised immune system, are less likely to make a quick recovery. The most common complications are pneumonia or middle-ear infection due to the measles virus itself or a secondary bacterial infection. For pregnant women with measles there is an increased risk of maternal death, spontaneous abortion, and intrauterine foetal death.
Yet, as we said earlier, this virus is only transmitted to humans, so it could be eradicated. How? Through vaccination. In fact, it is estimated that if between 93% and 95% of the population were vaccinated, we could eradicate the disease. WHO’s definition of eradication is:
“The permanent reduction to zero of the worldwide incidence of infection caused by a specific agent as a result of deliberate efforts.”
The vaccine
The vaccine is a live attenuated measles strain, thus is a harmless, less virulent version of the infectious agents. It is usually administered in combination with mumps, and rubella vaccines (i.e. MMR vaccine: measles, mumps, and rubella) and it requires more than one dose to achieve a higher level of protection. According to WHO, in developed countries the first dose should be given at 12 to 15 months and the second at 4 to 5 years.
This vaccine is very effective. In fact, according to data, two doses are about 97% effective at preventing measles if exposed to the virus. One dose is about 93% effective. What does this mean? Those who received two doses of vaccine are at a 97% lower risk of developing disease than the group who don’t receive them.
When can you say you’re protected? To work a vaccine must induce the production of protective antibodies in response to it. Detectable antibodies against the measles vaccine generally appear within just a few days after vaccination. People are usually fully protected after about 2 or 3 weeks. Therefore, the immune systems of vaccinated people exposed to someone with measles remember how to fight off the wild-type virus.
The adverse effects of the measles vaccination are rare and minor and resolve without any specific treatment; indeed, 5% of immunised children experience malaise and fever 1 to 3 weeks following vaccination. No link between receiving vaccines and developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been detected by solid scientific research performed all around the globe including Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and National Academy of Medicine. In contrast, without vaccination, there is a high risk of transmitting the infection to others and inducing life-threatening diseases to those who can’t get vaccinated.
Nevertheless, it is important to make a clarification. Fully vaccinated people are not exempt from measles infection, they can still get measles; however, they are more likely to have a milder illness. Moreover, they are also less likely to spread the disease to other people, including people who can’t get vaccinated because of young age or due to a weakened immune system. To protect such people, we need to reach herd immunity. Herd immunity can be reached when enough people in the population have developed protective antibodies against the virus. Being highly contagious, herd immunity against measles can be achieved mainly through active immunisation. Giving measles vaccine early in life should enable us to decrease the rate of virus circulation and raise the age at which children are infected and, therefore, should be vaccinated. Thus, through a tight immunisation schedule it should be possible to protect the majority of the measles-susceptible population.
The availability of a safe, inexpensive, and effective vaccine might let measles elimination become reality. However, although every region in the world has a measles elimination goal, no region has achieved and sustained elimination. Why? We cannot forget that eradication of a disease is not only dependent on the scientific context. Smallpox and rinderpest eradication required political, economic, and social education efforts to succeed.
Tracking and containment of disease outbreaks require cooperation on an international level. Without cooperation, global health campaigns cannot hope to succeed. Without economic support, crucial resources cannot be mobilised effectively. To all this in recent years has been added an increased mistrust in science, as highlighted by the rise of anti-vaccination sentiment. Eradication campaigns require public trust in science and in global health initiatives, thus it will be crucial to gain and maintain it to guarantee their success.
For more insights and articles, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletters here. If you’d like to see your piece featured on our site, email vaccinenation@terrapinn.com for more information!
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by Guest Editor | Apr 4, 2024 | Infection |
This is a guest post, kindly authored by Dr Juan Carlos Jaramillo, Chief Medical Officer, Valneva, and Vice President, Vaccines Europe.
Climate change is one of the biggest global challenges of current times. From rising sea levels to increasing temperatures and heatwaves, the effects of climate change on our physical environment are increasing in scale, frequency and intensity.1 However, according to the World Health Organization1, climate change also presents a fundamental threat to human health, notably by augmenting the risk of infectious diseases.
The Rise of Infectious Diseases
Climate change impacts our health both indirectly (e.g. respiratory diseases linked to pollution) and directly (e.g. flooding and hurricanes can cause injury or death).2 Infectious diseases are also influenced by climate changes. Warmer temperatures can affect the geographical distribution of infectious diseases and, for some, extend the transmission periods.3
In particular, the spread of mosquito-borne diseases presents a growing challenge. Currently, mosquito-borne diseases infect up to 700 million people worldwide each year,4 and mosquitoes have now become the deadliest creatures in the world because of the many diseases they can transmit.5 Common types of mosquito-borne diseases include malaria, dengue, chikungunya, West Nile virus, yellow fever and Zika.6 Historically, the mosquitoes which carry these diseases have predominantly inhabited tropical and subtropical regions,7 such as Central and South America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia.
However, these disease-carrying mosquitoes have expanded their reach due to extreme climate and weather patterns.7 In recent years, previously unaffected areas, such as Southern Europe and the United Kingdom, are also facing an increased risk of these diseases8 and a spike of incidence was also recorded in the United States in 2023.9
If current climate change trends persist, projections suggest that as many as 8.4 billion people could be at risk of contracting these diseases by the end of the century.10
This presents a stark reality which underscores the urgent need for proactive measures to mitigate climate change and its impact on public health. Current approaches to disease prevention must also evolve to address the complex relationship between climate change and infectious diseases – this includes continued advancements in vaccine development.
Valneva’s Ongoing Commitments
At Valneva, we remain driven by scientific innovation. Our vision is to live in a world where no one dies or suffers from a vaccine-preventable illness. This vision empowers us to develop vaccines aimed at protecting people from infectious diseases for which no other vaccines or effective treatments currently exist. While we can’t reverse the impact of environmental changes that have already taken place, our commitment to advancing unique new vaccines means we can be part of the solution, by helping reduce the impact of infectious diseases fuelled by climate change.
We also want to continue raising awareness amongst key stakeholders about the threat of infectious diseases as this public health challenge increases in prominence. We’re looking forward to being part of conversations on this topic at this year’s World Vaccine Congress US, where Valneva will take part in a panel discussion on the efforts towards eradicating chikungunya alongside representatives of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI). Valneva will also moderate an interactive roundtable focusing on the emerging threats of Zika and chikungunya.
As a global company, we also take every opportunity to continuously improve our sustainability model. From the production line to our support functions, we are all actively working to reduce our carbon footprint, lower the consumption of energy and natural resources, and limit the creation of waste.
Creating a Safer Future for All
The battle against infectious diseases is one which is intensifying alongside climate change. While we continue to make both scientific and environmental efforts, we also call for greater action and collective responsibility from governments and communities worldwide to help slow down the effects of climate change. Without decisive action, we risk facing unprecedented global health challenges that could have far-reaching consequences.
It’s becoming ever-more crucial that we work together to make change, ultimately creating a healthy and safer world for future generations.
We’re thrilled that Dr Juan Carlos Jaramillo and the Valneva team were able to share insights with us before the Congress next week, and look forward to hearing more then! Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletters here for guest posts and insights to come!
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by Guest Editor | Jul 13, 2023 | Global Health |
This article is a guest from Daisy Moulton for VaccineNation.
Africa CDC, the “autonomous public health institution of the African Union” (AU) announced in July 2023 that a strategic shakeup of its Advisory and Technical Council (ATC) had taken place at the 6th Ordinary Session for the governing board. Hosted in Nairobi, Kenya, the session facilitated a direct response to the AU’s decision to empower Africa CDC with the “critical mission of disease prevention and control” on the continent.
What’s changing?
The ATC comprises scientists with the expertise to provide support and advice, improving public health throughout the continent. This advice supports the control, surveillance, and prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases. ATC aims to respond quickly to new health threats and improve the quality and safety of clinical laboratories in Africa.
The new ATC structure contains at least 20 members, including those from WHO, and the Regional Integrated Surveillance and Laboratory Network (RISLNET). The newly appointed chair is Dr Eduardo Samo Gudo, an immunologist and virologist. Working alongside him is the newly appointed vice-chair, Dr Morenike Oguan Alex-Okoh, who displayed excellent leadership skills as part of the COVID-19 pandemic response in Nigeria. Both promotions have been praised by the Director General of Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya, demonstrating his confidence in the new structure of the ATC.
Combatting COVID-19
During the pandemic, Africa CDC contributed to extensive efforts to encourage vaccinations across the country, resulting in 31.1% of the African population having received two doses by 2023. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine was the leading vaccine acquired by the member African states, followed by the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
However, 2021 data from the WHO and UNICEF shows that as high as 8.4 million children in Africa missed routine immunisations due to the pandemic. Therefore, synchronising routine childhood vaccinations alongside the COVID-19 vaccinations is a key goal for Africa CDC. This aligns with the most recent World Vaccination Week, in April, with the theme: ‘The Big Catch Up’. Africa CDC is clearly focused on international immunisation goals as it moves to become a stronger network of health systems.
Steps in the right direction
Africa CDC has made significant improvements to immunisation rates to prevent the spread of diseases such as polio and neonatal tetanus. Hence, improving vaccination will be another main aim for the newly appointed ATC, whose new members will start a non-renewable term for the next 3 years.
The restructuring of the ATC is excellent news for African public health as it will only facilitate further improvements for the continent and the global community. What do you hope to see from the ATC over the coming years? Are you impressed by these appointments and the intention demonstrated by Africa CDC?
We look forward to hearing more about Africa CDC’s health goals for the future and how they will be implemented when senior representatives join us for the World Vaccine Congress in Barcelona. Make sure you get your tickets to join the discussion today.
Don’t forget to subscribe for more global health updates!
by Guest Editor | Jul 6, 2023 | Global Health |
This article is a guest post from Daisy Moulton for VaccineNation.
In July 2023 it was announced that Moderna had established an agreement with China to develop mRNA products for use in the country. This news comes amid tensions between the US and China but suggests a potential opportunity to navigate a historically tricky relationship. Moderna, the company that became a household name during the COVID-19 pandemic, will develop products “exclusively” for Chinese people, according to reports in the Financial Times.
Moderna makes mRNA waves
The Moderna mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, Spikevax, was developed in record time, compared with pre-pandemic vaccines that took up to 15 years from development to mass production. The pipeline for SARS-CoV-2 was rapid due to the global impact of the pandemic, with clinical trials starting just two months after the start of development.
This allowed great success for the company, with Spikevax being fully approved by the FDA for adults in January 2022 (with prior emergency approval in April 2021 by WHO).
This facilitated the second-highest administration in the US as of April 2023, with over 230,000,000 doses, only behind Pfizer-BioNTech’s, Comirnaty, which uses the same mRNA technology as the Moderna vaccine.
How does the mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine work?
The mRNA vaccine technology works by encoding the antigenic Spike (S) protein which is expressed on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus particle.
The normal function of the spike protein is to bind to the ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) receptor on alveolar cells in the lungs, allowing the virus to insert its genome into the host cell.
The spike protein mRNA in the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is translated by the host cells to produce the S protein, allowing the host to mount an adaptive immune response and produce memory cells to prevent reinfection without the virion being present.
China’s go-it-alone approach to vaccine development.
China had negotiations with Moderna in 2020 and 2021 about the prospect of mRNA. However, Moderna refused China’s request to share knowledge of the mRNA technology leading to a breakdown in negotiations, leaving China’s ageing population without access to the most effective vaccines on the market.
The main vaccine used in China is Sinopharm, which uses the dated technology of attenuated or inactivated virus particle inoculation. Although it provides a 79% efficacy in stage 3 clinical trials after two doses, this is lower than Moderna’s 95% efficacy in their initial stage 3 trials.
This inferior efficacy may have contributed to the increase in vaccine hesitancy within the Chinese population, with 8.4% having received primary vaccination as of August 2021. Worries about the efficacy and safety of the Sinopharm vaccine emphasise the role of confidence in the 5C’s model regarding vaccine hesitancy). Beyond COVID-19 vaccines, this could also be due to deep-rooted mistrust in China’s pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities.
The world watches.
There was global criticism of China’s over-independence during the pandemic, with a German government spokesperson openly criticizing China for not using the superior mRNA Western technology in 2022.
So, what’s changed?
As of the 6th of July 2023, Moderna is set to sign a proposed US$1 billion deal (although Moderna has not confirmed the amount) with China to begin the manufacture of mRNA vaccines and technology in Chinese borders as well as setting up a Chinese headquarters in Shanghai.
The deal includes plans to bring already available Western mRNA medicines to the Chinese populations and conduct new clinical trials. Products are strictly for China’s population only and not to be exported.
This should bring new hope for the Chinese population by gaining access to world-leading multi-national pharmaceuticals and hopefully increase the vaccine uptake by decreasing vaccine hesitancy, which is a major global concern and improves the welfare of China’s 1.4 billion population.
Do you think this deal will better relations between China and other countries? Is Moderna the first of many to establish this connection? For more like this, don’t forget to subscribe.
by Guest Editor | May 31, 2023 | Global Health |
Global disruptions to routine vaccination occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic setting vaccination programs back decades, risking future disease outbreaks and resurgence of vaccine preventable diseases. Sixty-seven million children missed one or more vaccines during the pandemic and vaccine confidence has declined globally[1]. The pandemic also highlighted gaps in vaccine infrastructures and their ability to meet people where they are. Resilience of vaccine programs is critical to achieving and protecting high vaccination rates in the face of adversity, such as political unrest, as well as public health and natural disasters. This will require a coordinated effort across stakeholders, which is why on April 3, 2023, the World Vaccine Congress hosted a workshop to discuss this pressing issue.
This session brought together varied voices to discuss key barriers and identify opportunities for action to improve vaccination coverage rates (VCRs). The nearly 100-person audience represented individuals across sectors including government, academia, non-profit, consulting firms, and more.
To ground the discussion, the audience reported what concerned them most about the current state of the vaccination ecosystem.
Consistently, attendees highlighted four key areas of concern:
- Misinformation about vaccination
- Low coverage rates and missed cohorts due to the pandemic
- Politicization of vaccination
- Roll-back of and threats to foundational vaccination policy
Keeping these concerns in mind, the session transitioned to a discussion surrounding solutions, to improve VCRs. To ignite thinking, a panel representing diverse organizations presented innovative strategies their respective organizations are leading across these very issues.
The core themes of each panelist presentation:
- Vaccine promotion through community-based efforts at schools as a center of health access and education; Diana Martin, Alliance for a Healthier Generation
- Prioritization of adolescent vaccination through consistent, confident, and concise recommendations; Judy Klein, UNITY
- Improving equity by creating a vaccine movement that moves to drive action and meets diverse stakeholders where they are; Synovia Moss, National Council of Negro Women
- Resilient immunization programs that can withstand shocks to the system through resource availability, awareness, adaptiveness, integration, and self-regulation; Aomesh Bhatt, Oxford University
- Immunization related training for pediatricians to improve response to vaccine hesitancy; Janna Patterson, American Academy of Pediatrics
Following the panel, the session further explored strategies to achieve and maintain VCRs via five breakout groups centered around key themes: Confidence, Resilience, Data-informed Strategies, Equity, and Stakeholder Engagement.
The following areas were identified as critical enablers to achieving and maintaining high VCRs:
- Diversity of partnerships is key
- Ensure diverse voices are reflected in decision making and that leaders across different backgrounds are empowered to be the voice of the equity movement.
- Data is critical
- Enhance, leverage, and sustainably resource immunization information systems (vaccine registries) to be able to accurately determine patient vaccination needs at the point of clinical care. It is equally important that immunization information systems actively track and monitor vaccination rates to understand gaps within communities at the population health level.
- Vaccination should be a no-brainer
- Ensure vaccination services are conveniently accessible (e.g., expanded hours; vaccine only visits; complimentary sites like pharmacies; pop-up clinics).
- The message and the messenger matters
- Ensure campaigns and messages are tailored to meet the audience’s needs, resonating with their values, and further delivered by existing trusted messengers (e.g., community health works; community leaders; school leaders etc.).
- Realization requires resources
- Ensure immunization programs, providers, and diverse partners are adequately and sustainably resourced and staffed to meet community vaccination needs. Programs require robust supply chains and distribution networks to make sure vaccines are accessible to all populations and different access points.
[1] UNICEF. (2023). “The State of the World’s Children.” https://www.unicef.org/reports/state-worlds-children-2023.
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by Guest Editor | May 15, 2023 | Technology |
This is a guest post, authored by Rachel Rath, Director of the BARDA Alliance at Johnson and Johnson Innovation, who leads BLUE KNIGHT™.
Last month, I had the pleasure of attending the World Vaccine Congress—an experience that left me feeling inspired, energized, and excited about the future of vaccine development. BLUE KNIGHT™ is proud to be part of the global community dedicated to combating potential health threats and emerging pathogens by supporting innovators committed to advancing vaccine research, development, and deployment. It was exciting to see some of our current and alumni resident companies from across the globe connect at the Congress to demonstrate the critical role they play in building a safer, healthier future for all—from the early stages of vaccine development to the enabling solutions that may help vaccines reach vulnerable and higher risk populations, such as elderly and immune-compromised.
While there was excitement throughout the Congress for the potential of next-generation vaccines, the importance of innovation in catalyzing the type of systematic changes that can create enabling environments for vaccine development and delivery was clear. The future relies on transformative ideas, not just for the sake of innovation, but to be better prepared for emerging pathogens—this includes potential solutions as well as the technologies that enable increased vaccine efficiency and uptake. Revolutionizing the way vaccines are manufactured, stored, transported, and delivered is critical to ensuring equitable, accessible, and effective solutions.
To have a potentially meaningful impact on health security, we need robust and diverse solutions that reach beyond identifying new vaccines to address issues of durability, stability, and seasonality with broad applications across pathogens. The potential to couple pharmaceutical advances with technology may be key to reducing burden, improving accessibility, and increasing adherence. Several Blue Knight companies that participated in the Congress are tackling these types of challenges, building on lessons learned from past pandemics, including SARS and Ebola, and leveraging platform approaches and medtech to tackle some of the toughest challenges – things that we previously would have thought were unimaginable.
For example, Uvax Bio, a spinout from Scripps Research, is using a platform technology to develop vaccines for infectious diseases. HDT Bio is working to transform vaccine manufacturing through a platform technology to simplify manufacturing processes and facilitate multivalency for rapid scale-up to address a range of potential health threats. To get potential solutions into the hands of the people who need them most, Jurata Thin Film is developing new ways to store and deliver vaccines while 7Hills Pharma, is developing a first-in-class oral adjuvant that aims to enhance antigen-specific immune responses for more efficient vaccine delivery. It’s these types of enabling technologies that bolster new vaccine development and contribute to equitable access.
From increasing durability to breaking seasonality, early-stage companies are thinking about the challenges of the past in nimble and new ways to tackle the threats of tomorrow. That’s why Blue Knight, a collaboration between Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS (JLABS) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, continues to think through how we can better support companies earlier in the development pipeline. There are exciting new solutions, many with potential to have a significant impact on individual and public health, and finding the right partners and resources can be critical to meeting key inflection points.
Understanding the different options for support, and knowing when and how to engage, can be the difference between a great idea and an actual solution. In a recent conversation with Irnela Bajrovic, Chief Scientific Officer at Jurata Thin Film, she recommended that early-stage companies “say yes to every opportunity because it could end up being the one that changes everything for you.” Similarly, I encourage companies to get ready for those opportunities by initiating conversations with potential partners and collaborators as early as possible, while keeping an open mind.
Being prepared to capitalize on those opportunities is important, and it’s never too early to start building relationships for the future. Blue Knight is thrilled to be hosting the 2023 BLUE KNIGHT™ Symposium in association with the 2023 BIO International Conference, a forum designed to spark connections and accelerate next-generation innovation towards preparedness and emerging pathogens. We have also recently launched the BLUE KNIGHT™ QuickPitch, an opportunity for innovators to submit potentially ground-breaking ideas of technologies that aim to enhance preparedness toward future known and unknown health threats.
We want to hear from you—how are you thinking differently about preparedness of the future? What are new, novel ways to address the potential unknown threats of the future from viral and bacterial threats?
Ultimately, no one community is safe unless all communities are safe, and having forums like the World Vaccine Congress are vital to learning, connecting, and contributing to the global effort to improve vaccine development and delivery. We look forward to seeing what comes next and how the collective power of the global community can unlock the potential solutions of tomorrow.
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Thank you to Rachel Rath for this insightful piece. For more like this, subscribe to the VaccineNation newsletter here.
