$80 Million Targets Disease X

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the University of Oxford today announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the development of vaccines against 'Disease X,' the threat of unknown pathogens with the potential to cause pandemics. 

An outbreak of a future Disease X is inevitable, says CEPI.

Up to $80 million of CEPI funding will support the University of Oxford's team of vaccine scientists to develop prototype vaccines against high-risk viral families, which could be swiftly adapted if a new viral threat is identified.

This would pave the way for developing new vaccines, based on Oxford's ChAdOx technology and other rapid response vaccine platforms, within just 100 days of a virus with pandemic potential emerging.

Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, commented in a press release on August 29, 2023, "CEPI's strategic partnership with the University of Oxford will make a vital contribution to our work to drive forward the 100 Days Mission."

Earlier in August 2023, CEPI and Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd announced a new $3.6 million funding agreement to advance the development and optimization of a self-amplifying mRNA platform to develop vaccine candidates against Disease X.

In February 2018, Disease X was included in the updated WHO R&D Blueprint list of priority diseases.

Globalization, urbanization, and climate change increase the likelihood and frequency of infectious disease outbreaks. Still, that inevitability does not mean the world is destined to relive the devastating impacts of the recent pandemic.

The scientific advances forged in response to the pandemic have equipped the world with the tools and concepts that would enable us to interrupt outbreaks in the future before they spiral out of control.

Key to the success of the 100 Days Mission is rapid response vaccine technology platforms that can be used to design vaccines in a matter of days.

ChAdOx is one of only a handful of these technologies with proven capability as a platform on which safe and effective vaccines can be quickly developed and manufactured at scale and low cost. 

Building on these advances, CEPI is at the forefront of global efforts to develop vaccines against the next Disease X in 100 days. Known as the 100 Days Mission, this goal has been embraced by the G7, G20, and industry leaders.