DBT solicits Indian vaccine developers for CEPI projects

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has solicited the participation of all Indian scientists and vaccine developers in the new projects announced by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to develop various vaccine-related technologies.

Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is a global alliance between public, private, philanthropic, and civil society organizations to accelerate the development of vaccines against various emerging infectious diseases and enable equitable access to these vaccines for the affected populations during outbreaks.

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) initiated the implementation of the Ind-CEPI Mission entitled “Epidemic preparedness through rapid vaccine development: Support of Indian vaccine development aligned with the global initiative of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).”

From time to time, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) issues calls for proposals (CfP), inviting applicants to submit their funding proposals for projects to develop specific vaccine candidates or for research that can directly support vaccine development.

Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has recently issued the Calls for Proposals (CfP) for RNA vaccine platform technologies and vaccine library development against the various emerging and select endemic infectious diseases (Focus Area 2) and Innovative technologies to improve vaccine thermostability (both open until December 31, 2022).

Another Call for Proposals (CfP) is made for developing state-of-the-art Immunogen Design using Computational Antigen Simulation Technologies for Vaccine Development Against Emerging Infectious Diseases (open until July 31, 2022).

Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) elaborates that Focus Area 2 seeks novel RNA platform technologies based on potentially high-impact innovations offering substantial advantages over existing mRNA technologies. These various advantages may involve several attributes such as multivalency, immunogenicity or reactogenicity balance, productivity, storage and stability, response time, and cost-of-goods (COGs). Focus Area 2 provides seed funding for various activities, including discovery research, preclinical proof-of-concept studies, and limited early clinical proof-of-concept studies.

The second Call for Proposals (CfP) asks for the submission of an Expression of Interest (EoI) for carrying out innovations that improve vaccine thermostability for use in case of outbreaks of known viruses and novel or previously unknown viruses. These can be powerful novel technologies or adaptations of existing (proven) technologies that show significant measurable improvements in the increased thermostability of any existing vaccine platform to extend vaccine access.

The third Call for Proposals (CfP) asked for submissions for state-of-the-art computational immunogen design to develop various vaccine candidate platforms against high-risk virus families for the Disease X project. This effort will support the generation of various vaccine libraries with the ambition to deliver a vaccine within the first 100 days of an outbreak from emerging threats.

This Call for Proposals (CfP) aims to use integrated machine learning-based programs that integrate computational modeling methods, and structural virology for various immunogen designs for vaccine candidates added Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

Those who are interested in these topics and need a broader understanding of a Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) Call for a Proposal and see if their idea, project, technology, or approach can meet its suitability and eligibility requirements ahead of filling out the application, can request for a Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) TechTalk, which are video calls of up to 50 minutes. In these meetings, the interested parties are invited to present their ideas, projects, technology, or approach and ask questions about the relevance to Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) ‘s Open Calls. Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) will also provide some guidance and recommendations on their project and a potential application to one or more of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) ‘s Calls.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has supported various vaccine development initiatives against the Covid-19 virus and pandemic, which has shaken the world for more than two years now.