CEPI, Oxford, and Serum Institute Create World's Largest Rift Valley Fever Vaccine Reserve Amid West Africa Outbreak
核心洞察
The Serum Institute of India will manufacture up to 100,000 doses of Oxford's investigational ChAdOx1 RVF vaccine candidate, creating the largest-ever reserve for Rift Valley fever (搜索) vaccine testing.
The collaboration comes as a deadly outbreak in West Africa has reported over 610 confirmed cases and 47 deaths in Senegal and Mauritania according to WHO data.
CEPI is providing up to $3.5 million to support the development and manufacturing, with 10,000 doses designated for potential clinical trials in outbreak-affected regions.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (搜索) (CEPI), University of Oxford, and Serum Institute of India (SII) have announced a groundbreaking collaboration to establish the world's largest investigational reserve of a Rift Valley fever (搜索) vaccine candidate. The partnership comes as a deadly outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease continues to devastate communities across West Africa.
Under the licensing agreement confirmed on January 13, 2026, SII will manufacture up to 100,000 doses of Oxford's investigational ChAdOx1 RVF vaccine candidate. The initiative represents a critical step toward addressing Rift Valley fever (搜索), for which no licensed vaccine currently exists.
Rapid Manufacturing Achievement
In a remarkable demonstration of manufacturing speed, SII has already filled and labeled 12,000 vials of the ChAdOx1 RVF vaccine just 16 days after receiving the essential ingredients. This rapid production capability exemplifies the kind of swift response needed for epidemic preparedness.
"Producing these doses at speed is a necessary step to ensure that vaccine candidates like ChAdOx1 RVF can be delivered when and where they're most needed," said Dr. Umesh Shaligram, Executive Director at SII. "We've worked closely with CEPI and the University of Oxford to make this possible on an accelerated timeline, recognizing the urgency of the outbreak and the broader need for epidemic preparedness."
Strategic Deployment Plan
Of the 100,000 doses to be manufactured, an initial 10,000 doses are earmarked for a potential upcoming clinical trial to evaluate the candidate's safety and immunogenicity in outbreak-affected regions. The remaining doses will be maintained as a strategic investigational reserve, ready for rapid deployment in future outbreaks to generate critical clinical data and accelerate evidence for licensure.
CEPI is providing up to $3.5 million to support the development, manufacturing, and creation of the vaccine reserve under this collaboration.
Current Outbreak Impact
The collaboration arrives as communities in West Africa face a severe Rift Valley fever (搜索) outbreak. According to the latest available World Health Organization (WHO) data, over 610 confirmed human cases have been reported in Senegal and Mauritania, including 47 related deaths.
Professor Thierno Balde, Regional Incident Manager for the RVF Response Operation at WHO Regional Office for Africa, emphasized the significance of the initiative: "During Rift Valley fever (搜索) outbreaks communities face significant health societal and economic consequences in the African region. This collaboration demonstrates how collaborators can come together during emergencies to enable evidence generation that is essential for protecting populations at risk."
Disease Characteristics and Impact
Rift Valley fever (搜索) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease that primarily affects livestock but can spill over to humans through contact with infected animals or bites from infected mosquitoes. While most human cases are mild, severe infections can lead to brain inflammation, hemorrhagic fever, and death.
Beyond direct health consequences, the disease devastates pastoral communities by causing massive livestock losses, impacting livelihoods and food security in affected regions across Africa and the Middle East.
Clinical Development Progress
ChAdOx1 RVF represents one of the most advanced vaccine candidates being developed to protect people against Rift Valley fever (搜索). The vaccine has completed Phase I trials in the UK and Uganda, with published results showing it was safe and generated an immune response. A CEPI-supported Phase II trial, separate from the upcoming planned trial, began in Kenya in 2025.
Professor George Warimwe, lead of the Rift Valley fever (搜索) vaccine programme at Oxford's Nuffield Department of Medicine, highlighted the significance of moving from laboratory research to real-world application: "Rift Valley fever is a devastating and often forgotten disease, affecting the lives and livelihoods of communities in many parts of Africa. It means a great deal to know that our research can now move beyond the lab and towards helping people directly."
Global Health Preparedness Model
Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, positioned this collaboration as a blueprint for future epidemic preparedness: "COVID-19 powerfully showed us that we need to get ahead of fast-spreading viruses before they get ahead of us. This collaboration embodies that principle. Two of the world's most distinguished vaccine institutes have worked together to mobilize and manufacture thousands of doses of a Rift Valley fever (搜索)'s vaccine candidate in a matter of weeks."
The initiative exemplifies proactive "100 Days Mission" principles, positioning the global community to respond more effectively to emerging infectious threats. This collaboration between CEPI, one of the world's largest vaccine manufacturers, and a leading research institution demonstrates how rapid vaccine development and deployment can be achieved when organizations work together during health emergencies.