WHO R&D Blueprint for Epidemics - ISS-G20 Laboratorium Repository

With the aim of strengthening global preparedness and response of any future epidemics and pandemics, the R&D Blueprint continues with its mandate to accelerate research on diseases threats before they emerge and to shorten the timeline in developing safe and effective curative and preventive medical countermeasures (diagnostics, treatments and vaccines) – a mandate endorsed by Member States during the 68^th WHA.

In order to focus research efforts, an official WHO list of priority pathogens of epidemic and pandemic potential is generated and published based on an independent, open and multidisciplinary prioritization process, using rigorous and transparent methods.

The last prioritization exercise was conducted in 2018. WHO has recently launched a global scientific process to update the list.

The prioritization exercise will draw on the lessons from COVID-19 and ensure that trust, equity and access for those at highest risk is central to future R&D efforts. It will adopt a viral family approach to identify representative viruses (or prototypes) within a viral family as a pathfinder in generating science, evidence and filling knowledge gaps that may then be applicable to other viruses of threat in the same  family. In recent years there has been growing support for this approach as it offers a framework to fast-track research and encourages research efforts on entire classes of viruses (e.g. flaviviruses), instead of just individual strains (e.g. zika virus), thus improving the capability to respond to unforeseen strains, zoonotic viruses (an animal virus that could jump to humans) and the potential threat of a Disease X.

To support this effort the R&D Blueprint will convene 20-25 viral family groups of experts to independently review the science and to shortlist viruses of concern. A bacterial group will be added to ensure this effort considers the risks of naturally occurring bacterial threats. These groups will represent a knowledge pool of over 300 international and independent experts and generate in a first phase of work, a shortlist of priority viral families, prototype viruses and bacteria, and Disease X recommendations to be carried forward for further prioritization. During a second phase of work, the shortlist will undergo a deeper review, considering both scientific and public health criteria (public health impact, health equity, economic and societal impact). An independent Prioritization Advisory Committee (PAC) will be established to conduct the final prioritization following a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach.

The revised list is expected to be publicly release in the first half of 2023 and will guide targeted efforts by the R&D Blueprint, together with the global scientific community, to develop global R&D roadmaps for each priority pathogens and to develop Target Product Profiles (TPPs) that will guide developers on the ideal attributes of the medical countermeasures.

Entire content available on: https://www.who.int/teams/blueprint/who-r-and-d-blueprint-for-epidemics