Summary on Advances in the Development of Vaccines against COVID-19, Version: April 2020

This document presents a brief summary of vaccines in development for COVID-19. At the end of 2019, the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus emerged. Although there is not yet a vaccine against this virus, the field of research for its development is advancing rapidly. In February 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) convened researchers from all over the world to define the research agenda for SARS-CoV-2 drugs and vaccines, through WHO’s Initiative for Research and Development* (R&D Blueprint). The priorities of the R&D Blueprint agenda for vaccine development include the development of the following elements: • Animal models in which to evaluate vaccine effectiveness • Standardized tests to support vaccine development, particularly the evaluation of immune response • Multi-country protocols for phase 2b/3 clinical trials with the intention of facilitating coordination and efficiency • Studies of potency and production processes so that large quantities of vaccines can be produced WHO will also develop a Target Product Profile (TPP), with the intention of defining the expectations and expected characteristics of the vaccine, as well as a web platform to share information. In this context, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is mobilizing resources for vaccine development to increase the chances of success and to finance clinical trials of some candidate vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. The intention is to have some candidate vaccines that can be submitted to regulatory authorities for approval for general use or for use in outbreak situations...

An updated version of this document was published on August 2020: "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about COVID-19 Candidate Vaccines and Access Mechanisms".