International collaboration seeks to slash vaccine development times and costs
Scientists in the UK, Canada, and Brazil are joining forces to create new technology that could significantly accelerate vaccine development and reduce costs.
The project, funded by CEPI with £2.16 million, aims to develop the University of Toronto’s MANGO (Manufacturing on the go) device to automate Virus-Like Particle (VLP) manufacturing.
Virus-like particles mimic viruses well enough to trigger an immune response without containing viral material, but their production is typically slow as it requires living cells. The MANGO device will use cell-free expression to bypass these time-consuming steps, reducing manufacturing time from weeks to a single day.
CPI will collaborate with institutions like Imperial College London and the University of Leeds. Dr Raafat Fahim, Acting Executive Director of Manufacturing and Supply Chain at CEPI, emphasized the device’s potential to cut development time dramatically, supporting CEPI’s goal to respond to new diseases within 100 days.
Dr Philip Probert, Technology Lead at CPI, highlighted the innovation in reducing process complexity and timelines, aiming for faster, more equitable access to vaccines.
If successful, the MANGO device could help eliminate the need for traditional facilities, skilled workforce requirements, and cold chain storage. This would potentially reduce the cost of goods and enable regional manufacturing in Global South countries, improving access to vaccines during future outbreaks.
The CEPI-CPI partnership supports the 100 Days Mission, endorsed by G7 and G20 leaders, to reduce vaccine development timelines to just over three months.
Dr Probert noted, “The development and manufacture of virus-like particle vaccines represents a valuable opportunity for innovation in order to accelerate timelines and reduce process complexity. Working with our international partners, we will drive a step change in the time required to supply VLP vaccines.”
The project aligns with CEPI’s commitment to equitable access to vaccines, ensuring they are available to populations at risk at an affordable price during future outbreaks.
Results from this project will be published open access for the global scientific community’s benefit.
