West African leaders chart path forward against Lassa fever
CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations)
We want to stop future epidemics by developing new vaccines for a safer world.
As rain swept through the streets of Abidjan earlier this month, Ministers of Health from across West Africa gathered for high-level talks aimed at combating one of the region’s most pressing health security threats: Lassa fever. In an historic display of regional solidarity and leadership, the Ministers pledged their joint commitment to advance the development of, and readiness for, much-needed vaccines against the disease.
In a joint communiqué, the Ministers committed to supporting the continued development of IAVI’s CEPI-funded Lassa fever vaccine candidate through a collaborative co-funding approach and joint action to mobilise and secure resources through advocacy and regional coordination. They also pledged to strengthen national and regional platforms and infrastructure – including clinical trial sites, laboratories and regulatory authorities – so they are ready to advance a Lassa vaccine to licensure and to bolster the region’s preparedness to respond to other infectious disease outbreaks.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of people across West Africa are estimated to be affected by Lassa fever, with the disease causing around 4,000 deaths and US$110 million in productivity losses. The potential impact is only set to worsen in future years as climate change and population growth increase the risk of virus spillover.
Efforts to develop a Lassa vaccine will not only protect those who are vulnerable to this endemic threat, but they will also better equip the region to tackle future epidemic and pandemic threats.
Other R&D and manufacturing news
Backed by US$10.4 million of CEPI funding, researchers are set to gather important data on the real-world effectiveness of the LC16m8 mpox vaccine. The study will be conducted in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the epicentre of a major outbreak of mpox, generating insights that will guide mpox vaccination and management strategies in DRC and other endemic regions. Three million doses of Lc16m8 are being donated by the Government of Japan to the DRC, where it is being rolled out for emergency use. It is currently the only mpox vaccine licensed for use in children.
A new CEPI-funded project seeks to pinpoint the most threatening viruses and viral families with pandemic potential by integrating large pools of animal, human and environment data from two AI programmes – combining BEACON’s open-source disease surveillance programme with UC Davis’s VISTA. The US$1 million project will use AI and real expert insights to identify the most likely future threats, helping to inform where CEPI and others focus vaccine development efforts.
The UK Health Security Agency and France’s Fondation Mérieux are partnering with CEPI through two new framework agreements aimed at strengthening biosecurity capacities in the DRC, supporting CEPI’s existing research and development partners in the region.
Four global health and science experts, widely recognised for their contributions in tackling deadly infectious disease threats, have been appointed to key governance positions at CEPI.
Building a global AI platform for pandemic preparedness
CEPI is planning to develop a revolutionary new artificial intelligence platform called the Pandemic Preparedness Engine – a kind of ChatGPT dedicated to accelerating pandemic vaccine development. By applying advanced generative AI techniques, the Pandemic Preparedness Engine will be able to scan a wealth of global data, identify whether a pathogen has pandemic potential and propose antigens and designs for potential vaccine candidates in minutes, hours and days rather than in months.
The ultimate aim: to advance CEPI’s 100 Days Mission, a goal for the world to be able to develop pandemic-busting vaccines within 100 days.
Find out more about how CEPI is harnessing AI to fight future pandemics on our new AI webpage.
100 Words On… Disease X
Disease X is an as-yet-unknown pathogen that could cause an epidemic or pandemic. We don’t know exactly when the next Disease X will emerge, but we do know that its emergence is an inevitability. However, just because we can’t precisely predict its features or its arrival doesn’t mean we can’t plan for it. By getting to know as much as possible about the 25 or so viral families most likely to harbour a novel Disease X, scientists can get a head start in creating vaccines that can be adapted to rapidly target a new viral disease, helping contain outbreaks sooner.
➡️ Watch a new BBC documentary on the topic, featuring several of CEPI’s Disease X partners [only available in the UK]
The Viral Most Wanted… The Rhabdoviruses
To mark World Rabies Day passing this month, explore CEPI’s The Viral Most Wanted feature on its viral family, the Rhabdoviruses…
Evocative imagery of writhing patients ‘frothing at the mouth’ is often used in descriptions of Rabies. This frightening symptom is a phenomenon known as ‘hydrophobia’—a fear of water caused by painful spasms in the throat muscles when a victim of Rabies infection tries to drink. It is a tell-tale sign of a Rabies case in its advanced stages, and suggests a swift death is all but certain.
With safe and highly effective vaccines against Rabies now available, the threat posed by this virus, a member of the Rhabdovirus family, has been reduced for most people in wealthy countries. Yet it is still a deadly risk in many marginalised and poorer communities. And Rabies isn’t the only culprit in this viral family. It also harbours the brain-invading Chandipura Virus, an emerging killer of children in India.
🔉 Open Calls for Proposals
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Curated Conversations Ep. 9 | Dr Amadou Sall on Vaccine Equity and Africa’s Path to Self-Sufficiency
Listen in on a powerful conversation between Nigeria Health Watch and CEPI’s Executive Director of Manufacturing and Supply Chain, Dr Amadou Sall, on how vaccine manufacturing can drive a more equitable response to future epidemics and pandemics.
A new BBC Horizon documentary, ‘Disease X: Hunting the next pandemic’, delves into the potential deadly threat of a future unknown disease – and the possible culprit viral families it could come from, such as a virus related to the deadly Nipah or influenza strains.
🤝 Meet the CEPI team
CEPI at the World Health Summit, Berlin, 12–14 October 2025
Will you be in Berlin for the World Health Summit (WHS) this October? CEPI is organising a panel entitled “Preparing for Future Pandemics – From Fragmentation to Cohesion” on 12 October 2025, 16:00–17:30 CEST.
The session will explore political, financial, and systemic changes needed to enable rapid global action, foster cross-sectoral collaboration, and ensure equitable access to lifesaving solutions.
Moderated by CEPI CEO Dr Richard Hatchett, the panel speakers include:
European Health Forum, Gastein, 2 October 2025
Joe Simmonds-Issler, CEPI’s Executive Director of Governance, Strategy, Portfolio and Biosecurity, will be contributing to the panel session: “Investing in health security for a resilient European future: are we prepared?”
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