The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has partnered with contract development and manufacturing organization Samsung Biologics to strengthen global readiness for future epidemics and pandemics by expanding vaccine manufacturing capacity and improving access in lower-income regions.
Under the agreement, Samsung Biologics will join CEPI’s Vaccine Manufacturing Facility Network (VMFN), a global system designed to ensure vaccines can be produced quickly and distributed equitably when new disease threats emerge. The collaboration will initially be backed by up to $20 million in funding to develop scalable manufacturing processes for recombinant protein-based vaccines.
The companies plan to leverage Samsung Biologics’ large-scale mammalian cell production infrastructure and established regulatory and quality systems to create a “ready-to-activate” manufacturing process. The goal is to enable rapid vaccine production as soon as scientists identify a new pathogen, potentially reducing response times in future outbreaks.
As part of preparedness testing, Samsung Biologics will conduct a simulated outbreak response using a wild-type H5 influenza virus recommended by the World Health Organization as a prototype pathogen. The exercise will evaluate the company’s end-to-end capabilities, from antigen development to finished vaccine supply, and help create a generic regulatory submission framework for emergency scenarios.
Through its participation in the network, Samsung Biologics has committed to provide CEPI with access to as many as 50 million finished vaccine doses in a future pandemic, along with up to one billion doses of bulk drug substance that can be converted into final vaccine products. The arrangement prioritizes supply for vulnerable populations in low- and middle-income countries while also supporting South Korea’s domestic needs in line with CEPI’s equitable access policy.
CEPI said the partnership supports its “100 Days Mission,” a global initiative aimed at developing vaccines within 100 days of identifying a novel pathogen. The addition of Samsung Biologics also expands the network’s geographic reach into East Asia, complementing existing partners in Brazil, India, Indonesia, South Africa and Senegal.
Industry leaders noted that distributed manufacturing capacity is increasingly seen as essential to preventing vaccine shortages experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. By pre-establishing production pathways and regulatory frameworks, CEPI and Samsung Biologics aim to accelerate delivery of vaccines worldwide and strengthen preparedness for future global health emergencies.