Pasteur Network Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative Meeting: Building Vaccine Sovereignty
Rio de Janeiro, 21–22 July 2026
On 21–22 July 2026, experts from across the Pasteur Network (PN) gathered in Rio de Janeiro for the fifth in-person meeting of the Pasteur Network Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative (PN-VMI), supported by the Wellcome Trust. Hosted by Fiocruz- Bio-Manguinhos, the meeting brought together the 13 PN members with vaccine manufacturing capacity or active development programmes — spanning Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Latin America — alongside strategic partners including CEPI, IVI, the Global Coalition for Local and Regional Production, and the Climate Action Accelerator. Opened by Mario Morera (President of the Pasteur Network and President of Fiocruz) and Rebecca Grais (Executive Director, Pasteur Network), discussions were organised around three objectives: welcoming new partners into the VMI network, aligning on priority collaborative vaccine projects, and defining the governance model for a Pasteur Network Clinical Research Network.
A Manufacturing Model for Equitable Vaccine Access
Today’s global vaccine market is structurally imbalanced: high-income manufacturers capture roughly 85% of its financial value while supplying only about a third of global volume, while LMIC manufacturers produce more than half the world’s doses yet capture only a small share of that value. A Pasteur Network perspective paper published this month in BMC Global and Public Health argues that closing this gap requires production embedded within national public health systems and distributed across regions. PN-VMI is that model in practice. Unlike networks focused on industrial scale or technology transfer alone, PN-VMI integrates R&D, manufacturing, and public health within nationally embedded institutions — positioned to serve their own populations first, and the world alongside them.
Forging New Ties, Aligning with Global Efforts
Two new partners formally presented to the VMI members CRIVB (Centro Regional de Investigación Vacunal en Biomanufactura, AIP Panama), operational since September 2025, brings a 1,400 m² BSL-2 facility covering bioinformatics, recombinant proteins, mRNA vaccines, and monoclonal antibodies — the first of its kind in a region of 95 million people that had no domestic vaccine production capacity during COVID-19. Sinergium Biotech (Argentina) contributes industrial-scale manufacturing: a 50 million dose/year prefilled syringe line and 400 million dose/year vial capacity. Its IP-independent mRNA platform, developed under a technology transfer agreement with the MPP–WHO, includes an active H5N1 candidate developed in partnership with CEPI and WHO, with in vivo data completed. Fiocruz/Bio-Manguinhos (Brazil), selected by WHO/PAHO in 2021 as Latin America’s mRNA development and production hub, presented its dual conventional mRNA and self-amplifying RNA platform — the first GMP area for RNA products in Latin America. An IND for Phase I trials was submitted to ANVISA in February 2026 and regulatory requirements were answered in July 2026. Fiocruz also leads the Gates Foundation-supported RNA Network, and a South-South CEPI submission targeting Bundibugyo virus preparedness with Institut Pasteur de Dakar as co-lead. Strategic partners then shared their perspectives on how PN-VMI fits within the broader global landscape. CEPI presented its 3.0 strategy (2027–31) and the 100-Day Mission, against which a Pasteur Network–CEPI Memorandum of Understanding was signed in April 2026. The Global Coalition for Local and Regional Production highlighted Brazil’s consensus dengue priority and its first call for proposals. The members were also provided an update on Africa CDC vaccine manufacturing initiative progress. The recurring theme across all partner presentations: coordination, not duplication — situating PN-VMI as a complementary actor in a crowded but necessary landscape.
From Shared Priorities to Joint Vaccine Projects
Building on a business case mapping members’ R&D and manufacturing capacities, VMI member institutes — from IP Algeria, IP Morocco, IP Dakar, IP Lille, IP Iran, Fiocruz, the Hellenic Pasteur Institute, IP Tunis, IP Ho Chi Minh, and others — shared research updates and worked through a shared pathogen priority matrix to identify where collective effort would have the greatest impact. Three concrete collaborative projects emerged: Leishmaniasis vaccine — TB mRNA vaccine (BCG prime-boost). Universal Influenza vaccine. In a related session, Bastienne Tiberghien (Climate Action Accelerator) led a discussion on embedding climate resilience into biomanufacturing planning. Four areas of collaboration were agreed: sharing best practices across PN members via PN Link; circulating and evaluating WHO manufacturing guidelines; encouraging individual VMI members to engage with CAA on their own climate roadmaps; and supporting the analysis of gaps between national legislation and international environmental standards. Participants closed day one with a tour of the Fiocruz manufacturing plant.
Towards a Pasteur Network Clinical Research Network Day two was dedicated to the architecture of the PN Clinical Research Network (CRN) — a coordinated framework to enable multi-site clinical trials across the network. A survey of eight VMI institutes confirmed that all had experience in Phase I–III trials and regulatory submissions but revealed gaps. The session also highlighted two regional training infrastructure initiatives reinforcing clinical capacity: the Fiocruz Regional Training Centre, and the North Africa Regional Clinical and Competency Network (NA-RCCN / MC-RCCN), led by Institut Pasteur du Maroc. Participants closed day one with a tour of the Fiocruz manufacturing plant.
Where We Go from Here
- Consolidating the three priority projects — Leishmaniasis, TB mRNA, and Universal Influenza — into a shared PN-VMI portfolio, with working groups and kick-off calls to be confirmed within three months
- Formalising the CRN architecture: governance mandate, first draft SOP library, and LIMS rollout as the first cross-institute digital infrastructure investment
- Deepening partnerships with CEPI, IVI, Wellcome Trust, and the Coalition for local and regional production around shared pathogen priorities
- Advancing coordination with PAVM on regional manufacturing strategies, particularly across Africa
- Embedding climate resilience into biomanufacturing planning with the Climate Action Accelerator — beginning with one volunteer institute piloting an institutional climate roadmap
- Progressing MoU negotiations with PT Bio Farma (Indonesia) and preliminary discussions with the GHIT Fund (Japan) as potential future VMI members
“It’s essential that vaccine manufacturers come together to discuss their priorities and align on common projects — together, as a network, we are more agile and stronger.” — Rebecca Grais, Executive Director, Pasteur Network “With members distributed across continents, each bringing unique expertise and capacities, we have the privilege of building something that is greater than the sum of its parts: a collaborative platform capable of accelerating vaccine research and development, strengthening manufacturing ecosystems, supporting clinical trial networks, and ultimately contributing to more equitable access to lifesaving vaccines.” — Mario Morera, President of the Pasteur Network and President of Fiocruz
The PN-VMI workstream is supported by the Wellcome Trust. For more information, contact the communication@pasteur-network.org
