Webinar: Collaboration with CEPI to develop new RNA vaccine platform technology

  • Melanie Saville, MD; Arun Kumar, PhD

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has been engaged in rapidly supplying vaccines for global pandemic preparedness by accelerating vaccine development and reducing the time required to produce vaccines for emerging and sudden infectious diseases. In order to strengthen and expand the capacity of RNA vaccine platform technologies, CEPI recently established innovation targets specifically to call for innovative research proposals from biotechnology developers around the world to collaborate on the development of RNA vaccine technologies for emerging and specific endemic infectious diseases.

In order to enhance the understanding of CEPI and the call for proposals for RNA vaccines among domestic vaccine developers and teams, and to enhance the communication with CEPI team on related topics, The Council for the Promotion of International Vaccine Cooperation (CPIVC) held the Webinar on Collaboration with CEPI to develop new RNA vaccine platform technology on the afternoon of July 12, 2022. During the meeting, CEPI program officials and experts on vaccine research and development made introductions and answered questions from participants.

 

Speakers

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Melanie Saville, MD

Dr. Melanie Saville is the Executive Director of Vaccine Research and Development and the Chief Representative of the CEPI Shanghai Representative Office. She leads the technical teams supporting the vaccine development and enabling science projects funded by CEPI.

Melanie is a physician specialized in virology with 20 years of experience in the development and licensure of vaccines for the developed and developing world. In the vaccine industry, Melanie has held positions of increasing responsibility in research and development working for Wyeth, Sanofi Pasteur and Janssen vaccines and prevention. Over the years, she has contributed to the development and licensure of several vaccines for seasonal and pandemic influenza, pediatric combinations, Rabies, Japanese Encephalitis, Dengue and Ebola vaccine across the European, US and international markets.

Melanie obtained her medical degree from University College, London in 1993. She also obtained a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from University College, London and a master’s in medical Virology from Imperial College, London.

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Arun Kumar, PhD

Dr. Arun Kumar is head of preclinical vaccine development at CEPI and leads the call for proposals for Technology Focus Area 2 of the new RNA vaccine platform.

Dr. Kumar previously worked for the vaccines division of GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis, where he was involved in a number of vaccine development projects based on mRNA technology. He is currently responsible for mRNA innovation research and development and preclinical vaccine development at CEPI and co-leads CEPI’s centralized laboratory Network program. In addition, he manages a number of international cooperation activities.

Dr. Kumar holds a Ph.D. in viral Immunology and infectious diseases from the University of Helsinki, Finland.