In September 2023 the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) announced a “renewed collaboration” to “accelerate the development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases”. This was marked by a signing ceremony between Dr Jerome Kim, Director General of IVI, and Dr Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, in London.
Implementing Partnership Agreement
CEPI states that under the terms of the renewed agreement, IVI is to provide “technical services” for CEPI-funded projects, “leveraging IVI’s expertise and capabilities” both at their headquarters in Korea and around the world. The goal is the acceleration of vaccine development against pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential and aligns with CEPI’s 100 Days Mission.
IVI will provide support to CEPI across a “variety” of projects. This will include the provision of “strategic, technical, and scientific support” for “clinical development and manufacturing of vaccines, standards and assay development, and capacity-building initiatives”. This continued partnership develops previous “successful collaborations” between the two organisations.
Fruitful collaboration: past and future
Dr Richard Hatchet is “delighted” to reaffirm the partnership, which follows “several years of fruitful collaboration to advance vaccine R&D for better global health.”
“As our organisations continue to work toward the joint goal of accelerating the development of safe, effective, and accessible vaccines against emerging infectious diseases, this ongoing partnership will play an important role in our work to ensure the world is better prepared to fight future outbreaks.”
Dr Jerome Kim commented that the partnership is an “exemplary model” of a public-private partnership “with the vision, support, and capabilities to move innovative vaccine technology from need to impact”. The two organisation have “years of collaboration” behind them in areas of laboratory research, epidemiology, vaccine clinical development, and clinical research preparedness. Dr Kim highlights that their work has ranged from COVID-19 and MERS to chikungunya.
“We are proud and looking forward to expanding IVI’s role as an implementing partner to advance vaccines against emerging and infectious diseases.”
We were pleased to hear more from Dr Kim at last year’s Congress in Barcelona when he joined us for an interview and look forward to sharing interviews with representatives of CEPI from this year’s Congress over the coming months. Do join us in Barcelona in October, and subscribe to our newsletters in the meantime!
