OSLO, Norway/ TOKYO, Japan; 18 May 2022: The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT) today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will strengthen collaboration between the two organizations as they work to advance the development of tools to fight infectious diseases. 

CEPI and GHIT have aligned mandates, with both agencies funding equitable-access focused research and development for medical countermeasures. This new collaboration will support both organizations to deliver their respective missions by enabling them to draw on each other’s comparative strengths and areas of expertise in the field of vaccine development, as well as other areas where mutual benefits have been identified. The partnership also aims to enhance vaccine and therapeutic development capabilities in Japan, furthering Japan’s participation in global efforts to 

counter the threats of infectious diseases.

The partners will now plan opportunities for practical cooperation in more detail including strengthening both organizations’ investment portfolios by jointly identifying promising vaccine development platforms and technologies and collaborating (to include potential co-funding or coordinated funding) on vaccine R&D for priority pathogens and virus families of mutual interest. 

Dr Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, said:

“The speed and scale at which COVID-19 vaccines have been developed shows what can be achieved through scientific collaboration: Such collaboration will be central to the world’s efforts to prepare for future pandemic threats. CEPI and GHIT have complementary strengths and through our partnership will benefit from sharing experience and expertise towards our common goal of fighting infectious diseases. Japan is a leader in global health, and GHIT has unique strengths in working with Japanese partners, so I am excited to work with GHIT to enhance the contribution of Japan’s world-class research institutions and life science industries to global epidemic and pandemic preparedness.”

Dr. Osamu Kunii CEO and Executive Director of GHIT, said:

“We are very thrilled about the new partnership with CEPI. Partnership is vital for GHIT to develop new effective tools as soon as possible to save neglected patients. CEPI’s enormous leadership and influence in vaccine R&D will help us vitalize scientific collaborations between Japanese and global entities to develop life-saving innovations. Through this partnership, we at GHIT continue our commitment to accelerating R&D for neglected infectious diseases.”

About CEPI

CEPI is an innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic, and civil organisations, launched at Davos in 2017, to develop vaccines against future epidemics. Prior to COVID-19, CEPI’s work focused on developing vaccines against the Ebola Virus Disease, Lassa virus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus, Nipah virus, Rift Valley Fever virus and Chikungunya virus. It has over 20 vaccine candidates against these pathogens in development. CEPI has also invested in new platform technologies for rapid vaccine development against unknown pathogens (Disease X).　

During the COVID-19 pandemic, CEPI initiated multiple programmes to develop vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants with a focus on speed, scale and access. These programmes leverage the rapid response platforms developed by CEPI’s partners prior to the emergence of COVID-19, as well as new collaborations. The aim is to advance clinical development of a diverse portfolio of safe and effective COVID-19 candidates and to enable fair allocation of these vaccines worldwide through COVAX.

CEPI’s 5-year plan lays out a $3.5 billion roadmap to compress vaccine development timelines to 100 days, develop a broadly protective vaccine against COVID-19 and other betacoronaviruses, and create a “library” of vaccine candidates for use against known and unknown pathogens. The plan is available at https://cepi.net/