The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced on the 28th that it has initiated a joint funding project with the National Natural Science Foundation of China to support the research and development of innovative vaccine technologies aimed at expanding vaccine accessibility and saving more lives.
This joint funding project is a continuation of the collaboration between the Gates Foundation and the National Natural Science Foundation in the global health and development field since 2021, aiming to promote research and innovation in key areas through international cooperation. This year's project will focus on funding research in two areas: innovative RNA vaccine technologies that can improve vaccine accessibility in middle- and low-income countries and vaccine controlled-release delivery technologies.
The development of RNA vaccines has received widespread attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only are RNA vaccines developed quickly, but their safety and efficacy have also been validated. Researchers are continuing to explore the potential of RNA vaccines for combating other life-threatening diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Compared to traditional vaccines, the development and manufacturing of RNA vaccines are simpler and faster, offering the potential to help middle- and low-income countries access high-quality and effective vaccines, addressing significant inequalities in global health.
Innovations in vaccine delivery can further improve vaccine accessibility and coverage. For example, vaccine microneedle patches can be applied to the skin without the need for complex cold chain transportation or trained medical personnel, helping reach populations that are difficult to access through conventional vaccination methods. Vaccine controlled-release technologies can enhance vaccine delivery by gradually releasing antigens, reducing multiple immunizations to a single dose, enhancing and optimizing immune responses, or encapsulating different antigen components in a single vaccine in suitable microenvironments to prepare combination vaccines for preventing multiple pathogens.
The joint project will fund up to six innovative vaccine proposals. Each selected research project will receive funding of up to 1.5 million RMB from the National Natural Science Foundation and up to 200,000 USD from the Gates Foundation.
