We discuss the costs associated with research and the difficulty of safe manufacturing. Why are vaccine facilities so difficult to establish? Why are some diseases ignored? What new vaccines are in the pipeline, and how does the threat of bio-terrorism affect the nation’s vaccine agenda? Special guest: Dr. Marc LaForce, Global Program Leader, Meningitis Vaccine Project, PATH

1. National Press Foundation
Vaccine Webinar Series
VACCINE RESEARCH
Dr. Marc LaForce
November 29, 2011

2. Vaccine Research
A new meningitis vaccine for Africa
Vaccine Webinar Series
National Press Foundation
November 29, 2011
Marc LaForce, PATH

3. The road to a new vaccine
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4. Vaccine manufacturers
 Five Pharma firms (US/Eur)
• Profitable companies
• Charge high prices for new vaccines
• Concentrate on low-volume rich world markets
 Emerging suppliers
• Traditionally sell older, less complex vaccines
• High-volume and low-margin markets
• Interest in developing more complex (higher
margin) vaccines
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5. Problems for vaccines aimed at
developing country problems
 Development of new vaccines controlled by
Pharma and aimed at products with market
potential
 Very slow introduction of new products to
developing countries
 Hepatitis B vaccine
 HiB conjugate vaccine
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6. Meningitis in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Over 90 percent of global
meningococcal disease occurs in the
African meningitis belt
• Attacks children, young adults and
infants
• One third of meningitis cases die
(10%) or are disabled (23%)
• One strain (Group A Nm) accounts
for estimated 80% of all
meningococcal cases.
• Epidemics occur every year
• Poorest countries in the world
• New vaccine cost is critical to
sustainability
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7. Small clinic for meningitis patients
•The “intensive care
unit” of Africa
•Individuals are
treated where they
fall
•Very few hospitals
in this region;
makeshift clinics are
established when
needs arise
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8. Serum Institute of India Ltd. (SIIL)
 Largest “emerging supplier”
 World’s largest producer of measles and DTP
 Two-thirds of the world’s immunized
children are vaccinated by a vaccine
manufactured by SIIL
Partnered with the Meningitis Vaccine
Project to develop an affordable
(< $US 0.50 per dose) vaccine designed
specifically for Africa to protect against
meningococcal meningitis
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9. 2010 introduction of MenAfriVac™
 20 million people in Burkina Faso (100%),
Mali (50%), and Niger (50%) vaccinated
 In 2011 in Burkina Faso:
 Lowest number of reported cases of
meningitis
 Not a single case of meningitis A in
individuals vaccinated with MenAfriVac™
 Group immunity established with use of the
vaccine
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11. The Meningitis Vaccine Project
mlaforce@path.org
www.meningvax.org
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12. National Press Foundation
Vaccine Webinar Series
VACCINE RESEARCH
Q&A
Dr. Marc LaForce
November 29, 2011