A Conditional System for Inexpensive Manufacture of Attenuated Vaccines

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) with a potential for substantial and wide spread human mortality are an increasing threat to global stability. EIDs of global significance are most commonly caused by viruses - many of which have never been seen prior to their emergence into the human population. The level of societal disruption associated with the recent Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa gives only an indication of the potential impact of these viruses: only a slight increase in the capacity of an emerging virus with a similar mortality rate to spread will be far more devastating. Vaccination is a cost-effective method of EID control. However, most of these viruses emerge in poorer, low income countries where cost of vaccine production is prohibitive to widespread vaccination without foreign intervention. High-income country vaccine sourcing is a serious impediment to widespread adoption of vaccination by the local population, and also undermines the empowerment of middle/low income countries to permanently resolve their own societal and healthcare problems. The aim of the current proposal is to develop a vaccine platform that is suitable for development to target emerging viruses in low income countries. This vaccine platform will be inexpensive, easy and quick to manufacture, provide long-lasting and effective protective immunity after only a single or few doses, have a high safety profile, and be suitable for broad application against multiple different viruses.