WHO/MPP mRNA Technology Transfer Programme
Regional meeting in South-East Asia
Background
Announced on 21 June 2021, WHO and the Medicines Patent Pool established a Technology Transfer Programme for mRNA vaccines in South Africa, in order to build manufacturing capacity in LMICs to produce mRNA vaccines, in an effort to improve health security in LMICs through local and/or regional production of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, as a primary target. The center for mRNA technology development and transfer comprises Afrigen/Biovac/South African Medical Research Council, South Africa, and will share technology and technical know-how with a network of technology recipients in LMICs. The Programme currently receives funding from European Commission, Belgium, France, Germany, as well as Canada, Norway, the African Union, South Africa and the ELMA foundation.
The mRNA Technology Transfer Programme has four main objectives:
- Establish or enhance sustainable mRNA vaccine manufacturing capacity in regions with no or limited capacity;
- Introduce new technologies in LMICs and promote regional research and development (R&D);
- Strengthen regional biomanufacturing know-how and workforce development;
- Develop regulatory capabilities and workforce to support and accelerate regional approval and distribution of mRNA vaccines;
Objectives of the meeting:
- Promote R&D regional collaboration to advance mRNA product development around diseases of regional importance (e.g. dengue, malaria vivax, HPV, HFMD)
- Share information on new discoveries to help design second-generation mRNA products.
- Review intellectual property issues and regulatory aspects relevant to mRNA vaccines for diseases of regional importance.
Meeting materials
Meeting agenda
List of participants
Presentations
Day 1
mRNA innovations for sustainability: establishing an enabling environment – Petro Terblanche, Afrigen
Clinical trial design and policy expectations for novel dengue vaccines – Annelies Wilder-Smith
Designing a mRNA vaccine against dengue, key considerations – Eugenia Ong, Duke-NUS
Product development plan for a mRNA dengue vaccine – Mainul Ahasan, Incepta
Epidemiology of HFMD in South East Asia and key immunological considerations for vaccine development – Yoke-Fun Chan, Univ. Malaya
Designing a mRNA vaccine against HFMD, key considerations – Justin Chu, National University of Singapore
Epidemiology of malaria vivax in South East Asia and key immunological considerations for vaccine development – Rintis Noviyanti, Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology
The role of human infection challenge models to advance P. vivax vaccine development – James McCarthy – Wehi Institute
Lessons learned from P.berghei vaccine development: an mRNA vaccine adjuvanted with a NK-cell agonist against liver-stage malaria – Gavin Painter, Wellington Univ. of Victoria
Designing a mRNA vaccine against malaria vivax: key considerations – Herbert Opi, Burnet Institute
Product development plan for a mRNA P.vivax vaccine – Neni Nurainy, PT Bio FarmaShow less Show more
Day 2
R&D capacity in South-East Asia
- Lisa Ng, A*STAR
- Alain Bouckenooghe Hilleman Labs
- Manki Song, IVI
- Kiat Ruxrungtham, Chula VRC
- Amina Larbi, MPP
HPV mRNA therapeutic vaccine – Epidemiology and rationale for HPV therapeutic vaccine development – Kiat Ruxrungtham, Chula VRC
HPV mRNA vaccine design and preliminary insight – Eakachai Prompetchara & Supichcha Saithong, Chula VRC
BMGF strategy to advance mRNA vaccine R&D – Philippe-Alexandre Gilbert, BMGF
Development of novel lipids – Charles de Koning, Wits Univ.
Nucleotide-modification for mRNA vaccines, evidence from in vitro and animal models – Patrick Arbuthnot, Wits Univ.
Review of automated technologies for mRNA production – Martin Friede, WHO & Ike James, MPP
mRNA drugs production from very small to very largescale capacity: when to use batch versus continuous strategies – José Castillo, Université Libre de Bruxelles/Univercells
