PROPOSAL FOR FUNDING RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AND MANUFACTURING OF VACCINE AGAINST COVID-19

Funding of research and innovation programmes for the development of novel SARS-CoV-2 vaccine against COVID-19 disease The overall objective is to leverage co-funding from the European Commission to support CEPI'Äôs COVID-19 vaccine programme development efforts. The COVID-19 outbreak has in a short timeframe grown to a global pandemic of historic proportions, with detrimental humanitarian and economic consequences. All evidence now suggests that eradication of COVID-19 is not feasible and that we face a global public health crisis which is unprecedented in modern times. At present there are no treatments, and there is no vaccine. Investing in vaccine development now is an investment in the future health for all in our societies and a return to social and economic development 'Äì both in Europe and in the rest of the globe. CEPI is now seeking scientifically excellent research and development vaccine development programmes of a nature that will allow the broadest global access of the vaccines that are ultimately developed both within the current pandemic crisis and beyond. This will help curb the current ongoing outbreak, that is resulting in human suffering and a grave global economic crisis. CEPI was set up to respond to the crisis, where our vision is a world in which epidemics are no longer a threat to humanity. Our strategic objectives are further aligned with the sustainable development goals 3, 8 and 17. Of particular importance to CEPI'Äôs work is to ensure that low- and low-middle income countries (LICs and LMICs, respectively) will have access to the vaccines to protect their most vulnerable population, as soon as a vaccine is made available and irrespective of their ability to pay. As the current pandemic has shown, viruses respect no boarders. To successfully curb the COVID-19 pandemic, we must ensure that all countries have the necessary tools to control the outbreak domestically. No-one is safe until everyone is safe.