Emerging manufacturers engagements in the COVID −19 vaccine research, development and supply
Sonia Pagliusi, Stephen Jarrett, Benoit Hayman, Ulrike Kreysa, Sai Prasad, Martin Reers, Phạm Hồng Thái, Ke Wu, Youn Tao Zhang, Yeong Ok Baek, Anand Kumar, AE Evtushenko, Suresh Jadhav, Weining Meng, Đỗ Tuấn Đạt, Weidan Huang, Samir Desai
Abstract
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 disease as a pandemic requiring a rapid response. Through online search, direct communication with network members and an internal survey, engagements of developing countries' vaccine manufacturers' network members in the research and development of COVID-19 vaccines and their capacities in the manufacturing, fill-finish and distribution of vaccines were assessed. Currently, 19 network members engaged in research and development of COVID-19 vaccines, using six principal technology platforms. In addition, an internal survey showed that the number of vaccines supplied collectively by 37 members, in 2018-19, was about 3.5 billion doses annually. Almost a third of network members having vaccines prequalified by the World Health Organization comply with international regulations and mechanisms to distribute vaccines across borders. The use of existing manufacturing, fill-finish and distribution capabilities can support an efficient roll-out of vaccines against COVID-19, while maintaining supply security of existing vaccines for on-going immunization programmes.