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Zoonotic disease: targeting animals instead of humans with vaccines?

Jean-Christophe Audonnet DVM, Ph.D. ZAPI IMI Project Coordinator

How to deliver these vaccines under very short timelines ?

CEPI Scientific Community Meeting, February 21-22, 2017, Paris

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Multiple changes in the One Health “infectious diseases” landscape

Bats Nipah Hendra ?? ??

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The global risks are increasing due to a combination of factors

• More and more arboviruses and « bat-borne » viruses identified as responsible for new infectious diseases in animals and/or humans

• Increased movements and amounts of susceptible populations at any given time – Livestock trade and integrated systems – Airplane passengers / travelers

• New territories for infectious diseases

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Multiple changes in the One Health “infectious diseases” landscape

Extension of diseases into new territories « Out of Africa,» -> « Out of Nowhere »

Schmallenberg virus, Zika virus

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Recent events in a changing world

Transmissible zoonotic diseases with potential socio-economic / public health consequences: Nipah Malaysia-Singapore 1998-99: 257 human cases / 105 fatalities (pig industry workers, veterinarians) Hundreds of thousands of pigs killed

Hendra Horses people (veterinarians have been « first line »)

Influenza New « susceptible species » (dogs, cats, horses)

MERS-CoV Potential in some animal species (pigs, llamas)

Rabies 50,000 to 60,000 human deaths (mostly children…) / year

All these targets can be efficiently addressed with veterinary vaccines

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Facing the unknown, and the need to be able to react rapidly

Very current topic...

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Concerns for delays are rising (including concerns about Nagoya Protocol implementation)

Facing the unknown, and the need to be able to react rapidly

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“New thinking” as part of a global preparedness

• Need to work with an “Industrial mindset” rather than a “scientific mindset”. At the end of the day, one delivers a product, not an experimental vaccine…

• Better reactivity if vaccine solutions are based on the “re-use” of existing (proven) manufacturing technologies.

• Need to ensure industrial « surge capacity » both for veterinary and human vaccines

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One Health Global Cooperation is required to achieve this goal

• Providing rapidly safe and effective vaccine solutions requires multiple competencies present in Public Research and Industry at the international level (mainly EU and NA)

• Need to combine expertise and skills through specific research and development programs such as:

• Specific calls (H2020, IDRC, BMGF Grand Challenges) • IMI Projects (such as ZAPI) • CEPI (new initiative)

• Rapidly developing countries (“BRIC”) should join “the club” because they are increasingly involved / impacted

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Veterinary vaccines as a way to mitigate the large resources required by Global One Health interventions

One Health Global Approach means that one needs to immunize > 80% of the total susceptible populations: • Humans and • All animal Target Species

for containing and stopping the outbreaks

When domestic species are involved, the Animal Health Industry can be a key player (know-how for providing practical solutions) and a first line player for some targets in the field.

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Targeting animals first

Targeting animals instead of humans with vaccines because: • Mass culling is not an option (due to human biosafety risks) for

some diseases: Nipah, RVFV

• Faster to develop / manufacture veterinary vaccines • 20-24 months with TAU (classical inactivated vaccines) • 4-6 months with ZAPI methodology

• Cheaper and faster to immunize animals (ZAPI project)

• Limitation of animal reservoirs for zoonotic arboviruses

• Reducing the socio-economic impacts and preserving food supply for the « post-outbreak » times

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ZAPI IMI project as part of the approach for Global One Health vaccines

• Viruses are perceived today as technically achievable for this objective.

• 3 viral models are used in the ZAPI project: – Rift Valley Fever Virus (zoonotic) – Schmallenberg Virus (zoonotic “potential”) – MERS-CoV (zoonotic)

• Key progress in bioinformatics and new expression systems enable now the rapid implementation of efficient subunit vaccine solutions

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ZAPI project overview

• Common pipeline for the rapid identification of viral key immunogens and corresponding neutralizing reagents and their rapid and high-yield QC production

• Three target viruses for proof-of-concept models

– Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) – Schmallenberg Virus (SBV) – Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus

(MERS-CoV)

• Methodolgy for manufacturing « subunit » vaccines against at least 2 target viruses (incl. RVFV and SBV) and neutralizing reagents against at least 2 target viruses (inc. MERS-CoV)

RVFV

SBV

MERS-CoV

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Conclusion (1)

We are in a global « One World / One Health » • Anyone (domestic animals, people) can or will be

exposed to new (re-)emerging diseases.

• The « reduction to effective field use » is too slow if we follow the « old ways », especially facing « new Global One Health threats ».

• Efficient action can be achieved with a collaboration between Animal Health and Human Health, and by « targeting domestic animals first » if pertinent.

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Conclusion (2)

It is time for a change and for collective action:

• We must act » the preparedness through large collaborations associating human and animal health

• We shall demonstrate the key industrial steps

through prototype projects (such as ZAPI) to make sure we can catch up the « time » and « surge capacity » challenges

• We have to engage, collectively and pro-actively, the

Regulatory Authorities / Policy Makers / Global Health Stakeholders to the changes required by a Global One Health strategy.

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Conclusion (3)

and

together for implementing « vaccines without borders » for global protection !

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Two giant leaps for vaccination at 1 century interval

Jenner, smallpox (vaccinia)

1796 Louis Pasteur, rabies 1885

Veterinary vaccines Chicken cholera, anthrax, erysipelas, sheep pox,…

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Zoonoses Anticipation and Preparedness Initiative

Thank you for your attention !

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This research was performed as part of the Zoonoses Anticipation and Preparedness Initiative (ZAPI project; IMI Grant Agreement n°115760), with the assistance and financial support of

IMI and the European Commission, and in-kind contributions from EFPIA partners

www.zapi-imi.eu