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According to leading scientists at the new Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre in the UK, the country is better prepared for the next pandemic. However, they acknowledged that resource constraints and uncertainty surrounding the nature of the next deadly disease would still present challenges in rapidly developing a vaccine.
The Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre, located in Porton Down, Wiltshire, officially opens its doors this week. Dame Jenny Harries, the CEO of the UK Health Security Agency, which oversees the centre, explained that a major focus of their work is supporting the “100 Days Mission”. This mission, established under Britain’s G7 presidency in 2021, aims to develop a vaccine against a potential killer pathogen within three months of its identification.
Professor Isabel Oliver, the chief scientific officer of the UKHSA, echoed Harries’ sentiments, stating that the goal of the 280 scientists at the centre is to detect and control threats at the source before they spread. While Covid-19 vaccines were developed at an unprecedented speed, saving millions of lives worldwide, Oliver emphasized that earlier availability and deployment could have resulted in even greater lives saved and a quicker return to normalcy.
Although progress has been made, Oliver warned against complacency. She highlighted the expense and ongoing effort required to sustain the capabilities of the UK’s pandemic response.
The new laboratories at Porton Down are separate from the top-secret defence research facility nearby. The UKHSA has invested £65mn in building, equipping, and staffing the new vaccine laboratories, leveraging Porton Down’s reputation for safe work with various diseases. Deputy Director Bassam Hallis described the centre as “unique” for its ability to co-locate all the necessary functions for vaccine development in a single location.
Inside the laboratories, the scale of research is evident. From containment labs handling live viruses to serology labs monitoring the spread of Covid-19, the researchers at the centre are involved in a wide range of studies. The centre also collaborates with international partners and utilizes expertise from academia and industry.
While the 100-day goal may be more feasible for some pathogens than others, Harries sees promise in mRNA vaccine technology, which has proven successful in Covid-19 vaccines. This technology offers a more realistic opportunity to develop vaccines quickly for new pathogens.
Excitingly, early trials are underway for a vaccine against Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, a deadly virus transmitted by infected ticks. If successful, this vaccine would mark a significant milestone as the centre’s first vaccine and the world’s first of its kind.
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