IVI: 16 Billion COVID-19 Vaccine Need Globally

IVI: 16 Billion COVID-19 Vaccine Need Globally. Director-General of the International Vaccine Institute: 16 billion doses of vaccine need to be produced globally. At the Beijing Forum held today, Jerome King, Director-General of the International Vaccine Institute, revealed that there are currently more than 180 candidate vaccines for the COVID-19 pneumonia worldwide. The research and development of the COVID-19 pneumonia vaccine is carried out globally. The same is true for its production. It needs to be produced globally. 16 billion doses of vaccine.

Jerome King also mentioned the titers of neutralizing antibodies in some vaccines. Neutralizing antibody is a type of antibody. It is a protein produced by the immune system to resist infection. It can bind to and inactivate the virus and is a defensive response of the immune system.

The COVID-19 pneumonia has brought challenges to economic globalization. The World Bank had predicted that the cost of a pandemic in the 21st century would total US$6 trillion. “Now we know that this figure is underestimated.” Jerome King said, according to the International Monetary Fund’s estimates, the COVID-19 pneumonia has caused a global loss of 28 trillion US dollars. He believes that globalization has huge advantages, but under the influence of the COVID-19 pneumonia, globalization has also brought huge costs.

Regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, he shared the latest progress, “There are currently more than 180 candidate vaccines, and we finally see the hope of preventing infection or disease.” The PPT he showed listed three companies, among which Pfizer/BioNTech’s vaccine effectiveness is 95%; Russian company Gamaleya’s vaccine effectiveness is 92%; Moderna’s vaccine effectiveness is 94.5%.

He revealed that the vaccine entering Phase III clinical trials produces three different levels of neutralizing antibodies. Our hypothesis is that the more neutralizing antibodies, the better. The titers of CanSino Bio and Gmaleya are the lowest, detectable, but below 100; the titers of neutralizing antibodies for Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, and Pfizer are between 100 and 500; the titers of neutralizing antibodies for Moderna and Novavax vaccines Greater than 1000.

In terms of data within two months, he mentioned that at least three companies, Gamaleya, Pfizer/Biontech and Moderna, have vaccines that are more than 90% effective and safe. This proves that the vaccine is possible to resist the new coronavirus. For Moderna and Pfizer/Biontech, they have developed an RNA vaccine against the new coronavirus, verifying the concept that RNA vaccines can fight infectious diseases for the first time.

In terms of vaccine research and development investment, so far, the US government has invested 18 billion US dollars in vaccine research and development, which has achieved initial results. The Epidemic Prevention and Innovation Alliance (CEPI) also provided US$1.4 billion for the development of a global COVID-19 pneumonia vaccine.

Some countries and organizations have jointly raised funds. These funds are not only invested in the research and development of the COVID-19 pneumonia vaccine. After the successful research and development, they hope to be used globally and sell the vaccine at a reasonable price. The international mechanism for the distribution of vaccines also includes the COVID-19 Pneumonia Vaccine Implementation Plan (COVAX), an innovative alliance to prevent epidemics led by WHO, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) and CEPI. The plan hopes to serve low- and middle-income countries/ The region provides innovative vaccines.

Jerome King also mentioned that more than 190 countries have joined the COVID-19 pneumonia vaccine implementation plan, which is coordinated by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization under the “Accelerator for Acquiring Tools to Fight COVID-19 Pneumonia” project.

The plan promises to provide 92 low- and middle-income countries with advanced-manufactured vaccines. By the end of 2021, 2 billion doses of vaccines that have been pre-approved by the WTO will be provided to 192 participating countries, accounting for approximately 20% of the demand.

He analyzed that theoretically, the COVID-19 pneumonia vaccine implementation plan is a good proposition, which can well ensure that the vaccine research and development innovations related to the plan can also benefit low- and middle-income countries. “According to the current model prediction, we will reach 2023. It will not be able to produce enough vaccines until 2024.”

(internet:chinanet)