West African Leaders Pledge Lassa Fever Vaccine Development

Summary of the Text:

This text describes a collaborative effort to combat Lassa fever and emerging infectious diseases in West Africa. here’s a ⁣breakdown of the key facts:

Event Focus: A meeting bringing together scientists, public ⁣health experts, vaccine developers, politicians, and regional actors to accelerate vaccine advancement and strengthen Lassa fever control.
Vaccine Development: The RVSVG-LasV-GPC vaccine candidate is highlighted. Its based on a weakened vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) modified to express a⁢ Lassa virus protein. IAVI is licensed ⁣to develop this technology from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).
Key Organizations Involved:
WAHO (West African Health Association): The health arm of ECOWAS, focused on coordinating regional health initiatives, harmonizing policy, and strengthening health systems in West Africa.
CEPI⁢ (Coalition for ‍Epidemic Preparedness Innovations): A partnership focused‍ on funding and accelerating ⁢vaccine development for epidemics and pandemics, ⁣aiming to develop vaccines against new threats within 100 days.

IAVI (International AIDS vaccine Initiative): A non-profit research organization dedicated to solving global health ‍challenges.
* Contact‍ Information: Email and phone contacts are provided for WAHO, CEPI, and IAVI.In⁣ essence, the text announces a strengthened regional cooperation aimed at tackling Lassa fever and preparing for ⁣future infectious disease outbreaks through collaborative vaccine development ⁣and improved public health infrastructure.