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Quality vaccines for all people ☆: Report on the 16th annual general meeting of the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network, 05–07th October 2015, Bangkok, Thailand

Monday, 11th of July 2016

Volume 34, Issue 31, 30 June 2016, Pages 3562–3567

Quality vaccines for all people ☆: Report on the 16th annual general meeting of the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network, 05–07th October 2015, Bangkok, Thailand

Sonia Pagliusia et al.

Received 14 January 2016, Revised 19 February 2016, Accepted 22 February 2016, Available online 3 March 2016

Excerpts below; full text is at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X16002620

Abstract

The Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN) assembled high-profile leaders from global health organisations and vaccine manufactures for its 16th Annual General Meeting to work towards a common goal: providing quality vaccines for all people.

Vaccines contribute to a healthy community and robust health system; the Ebola outbreak has raised awareness of the threat and damage one single infectious disease can make, and it is clear that the world was not prepared. However, more research to better understand emerging infectious agents might lead to suitable vaccines which help prevent future outbreaks.

DCVMN members presented their progress in developing novel vaccines against Dengue, HPV, Chikungunya, Cholera, cell-based influenza and other vaccines, demonstrating the commitment towards eliminating and eradicating preventable diseases worldwide through global collaboration and technology transfer. The successful introduction of novel Sabin-IPV and Oral Cholera vaccine in China and Korea respectively in 2015 was highlighted.

In order to achieve global immunisation, local authorities and community leaders play an important role in the decision-making in vaccine introduction and uptake, based on the ability of vaccines to protect vaccinated people and protect non-vaccinated in the community through herd immunity. Reducing the risk of vaccine shortages can also be achieved by increasing regulatory convergence at regional and international levels. Combatting preventable diseases remains challenging, and collective efforts for improving multi-centre clinical trials, creating regional vaccine security strategies, fostering developing vaccine markets and procurement, and building trust in vaccines were discussed.

1. Introduction

The Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN) convened its 16th international meeting, co-organised by Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute (QSMI) and BioNet Asia, under the auspices of the Thai Red Cross Society. Nearly 300 professionals working in research, development, manufacturing and supply of vaccines, from 30 countries, gathered in Bangkok. DCVMN is the largest alliance of corporate manufacturers, supplying over 300 vaccine types in various presentations to immunisation programmes, and contributing significantly to global public health efforts to eradicate polio, eliminate and control the spread of known and emerging infectious diseases around the world.

Local health authorities and global health organisations represented at this meeting included United Nations International Childrens Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), Gavi: The Vaccine Alliance, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), International Vaccine Institute (IVI), Centre for Vaccine Ethics and Policy, PATH, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, European Vaccine Initiative, International Association of Immunization Managers (IAIM), Sabin Vaccine Institute, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Hilleman Laboratories, Asian Pacific Alliance for Control of Influenza (APACI), National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Institute for Translational Vaccinology (Intravacc) and other associations and non-profit organisations. Representatives from about 40 vaccine manufacturers from developing countries, and 26 life sciences corporations also attended.

Prof. V. Sitprija, Director of Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute and Mr. V. Vonghangool, President of BioNet-Asia introduced Mr. P. Wannamethee, Secretary General of the Thai Red Cross Society, who inaugurated the meeting by acknowledging the power of preventive medicine to reduce, or even eliminate, disease-related mortality and morbidity. The meeting was opened by M. Suhardono, DCVMN President, who re-stated the commitment of the DCVMN to improve quality of life for every child, family and community globally. Prof. S. Khomvilai invited Dr. J.-M. Okwo-Bele, Director at WHO, to speak on the achievements and challenges of the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP).

2. Impact of vaccine procurement and supply in prevention of diseases globally

J.-M. Okwo-Bele highlighted the achievements of global immunisation: polio eradication is close, with only two countries currently reporting wild poliovirus; measles vaccination has reduced the disease by over 79% from 2000 to 2014 [1]; regional meningitis A epidemics have been eliminated in Africa, with half of the population vaccinated [2]; in all, around 6 million deaths have been averted by vaccination [3]. Still, challenges remain. Limitations in vaccine affordability and supply, failures in healthcare integration, disruption of immunisation by geopolitical conflict and poor-quality health data have resulted in stagnant coverage and repeated failure to reach immunisation goals. For instance, in 2014, 3.2 million children missed their 3rd dose of DTP1 in the Eastern Mediterranean region, mostly in security-compromised countries [4]. Solutions expected from manufacturers include measures to assure the controlled temperature chain (CTC) where cold-chain facilities are lacking, implementation of improved delivery technologies for ease of use in the field, and assistance in reducing risk of shortages. The monitoring and accountability framework of GVAP identifies and responds to immunisation challenges.

A. Batson, Chief Strategy Officer at PATH, provided an overview of the developing vaccine markets. Over the past decade, demand for higher-value vaccines has grown. More antigens are incorporated into multi-valent combination vaccines (pentavalent2 vaccine replacing DTP, and MMR/MR3 replacing measles vaccine) and new, complex vaccines are being introduced. A robust vaccine development pipeline is emerging from both industrialised and developing countries. From the latter, the Serum Institute of Indias meningitis A vaccine reached 217 million people in 2015 [5], and it is anticipated that Japanese encephalitis vaccine from Chengdu Institute, China, will reach 290 million people by 2017. DCVMN members play an essential role in global vaccine supply, contributing to improving health and driving new markets. They are diverse in terms of ownership (state or private), scale, portfolio and market (local providers or emerging new multinational companies, Fig. 1). It is important to understand their role and plan for anticipated changes in global versus national financing and procurement of vaccines.