Infectious diseases are a major health threat globally. Development often prioritizes commercial interests over public health needs, creating a gap between societal needs and market focus. FAST aims to advance solutions by promoting innovative approaches to vaccine and treatment development.
European initiatives
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CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, is a global partnership working to accelerate the development of vaccines and other biologic countermeasures against epidemic and pandemic threats. CEPI can be contacted for support and partnerships. CEPI has a Technical Resources HubTechnical Resources Hub, an open-access platform that aims to equip vaccine researchers, developers and funders with tools, methods, and knowledge [CEPI
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HERA, Health Emergency Preparedness and Response, was established as a direct consequence of the lessons learned from the initial management of the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure a solid Union response to serious-cross border health threats and secure ready availability and accessibility of medical countermeasures. Funding from HERA runs through the EU4Health programme.
Dutch initiatives
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INFECT-NL is a partnership between five leading Dutch institutions: the Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), Radboudumc, Amsterdam UMC, UMC Utrecht and the Centre for Human Drug Research (CHDR). Coordinated by FAST, they will join forces for early clinical research into new treatments and vaccines, creating a hub within which collaboration and knowledge sharing will be fostered.
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The Collaboration on Infectious Diseases (Samenwerking Infectieziekten) is an initiative of internist-infectiologists, medical microbiologists and health funds. Together with other parties, they aim on increasing public awareness, stimulate research and improve care in order to limit the impact of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). One of the initiative focusses on the development of an innovative data infrastructure that can combine local microbiological laboratory information with anonymized patient data. https://infectieziekten.nl/
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The Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Center (PDPC) aims to prepare society for future pandemics and disasters. They conduct research, invest in education and develop new initiatives.
Clinical trials
The development of therapies or vaccins for infectious diseases sometimes asks for a focussed clinical trial infrastructure that meets specific criteria. Especially during a pandemic.
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Controlled Human Infection Models (CHIM) are carefully managed medical research studies in which volunteers are deliberately exposed to a pathogen in a careful and controlled manner, with the purpose of assessing clinical, microbiological and immunological endpoints. Please see roadmap for the development a CHIM.
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ECRAID is an international infrastructure, hosted in the Netherlands, that advances clinical research in the field of infectious diseases by coordinating Europe’s largest academia-driven, self-sustainable ‘warm-base’ clinical research network. It offers offer a single point of access to a pan-European clinical research network for infectious diseases and has proven it’s added value in executing platform trials during the COVID-pandemic.
Vaccins
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CDC has an overview site on vaccine development and approval focussing on the process directed towards FDA.
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A guide to vaccinology: from basic principles to new developments - Nature Reviews Immunology
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Free access to supportive pharmacopoeial texts for vaccines for human use (released October 2020 → not updated)
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Clinical trials on vaccines in the Netherlands need to be reviewed by CCMO (see link in Dutch
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The EUFAB network is established through a framework contract with six economic operators that will reserve manufacturing capacities for vaccines to be fully produced within the EU.
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The Tuberculosis Vaccine Development Pathway is a free, web-based tool designed to help professionals optimise their decision-making in vaccine development.
One Health
- The Netherlands Centre for One Health (NCOH) bundles academic top research in the Netherlands in the area of One Health.
AMR
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Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator CARB-X is a global non-profit partnership accelerating antibacterial products to address drug-resistant bacteria. Beginning with competitive funding calls to address unmet medical needs, CARB-X provides non-dilutive funding as well as scientific, regulatory and business support to product developers.
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The Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership (GARDP) is a not-for-profit global health organization. They collaborate with researchers and entrepreneurs to develop new antibiotics, providing funding, expertise, and regulatory support to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR).