In an effort to accelerate vaccine development and better prepare for future pandemics, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi) is expanding a new vaccine library designed to cut the time needed to produce vaccines from a year to just 100 days. This initiative draws lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and prior research on related viruses, aiming to build a repertoire of prototype vaccines and target proteins across multiple virus families.

The concept behind the vaccine library is comparable to a cassette player with interchangeable tapes: once a vaccine platform is developed, researchers need only swap in genetic “cassettes” that encode specific viral proteins to create new vaccines rapidly. This modular approach contrasts with earlier methods, which required entirely new vaccine designs for each pathogen.

Two elements of good fortune expedited COVID-19 vaccine development. First was the advent of mRNA and adenovirus vaccine platforms that allowed for this plug-and-play system. Second was extensive research on Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), a coronavirus closely related to SARS-CoV-2. Years of work identifying stable vaccine targets against MERS enabled scientists to adapt those findings swiftly to the novel coronavirus when it emerged, facilitating the rapid creation of effective vaccines.

Cepi’s goal is to replicate that advantage for a broader range of viruses. The organization is focusing on nine virus families deemed highest risk for future outbreaks. For each, it seeks to identify optimal viral proteins to target and develop prototype vaccines that could serve as blueprints in an outbreak scenario.

Recent developments highlight progress in this direction. For instance, amid a hantavirus incident aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius—where passengers were exposed after a trip to South America—researchers published significant vaccine-related findings for hantavirus in the journal Cell. While hantavirus remains a relatively niche concern compared to pathogens like coronavirus or Ebola, these studies contribute to Cepi’s growing library.

Despite these advances, substantial gaps remain. Cepi has launched a new funding round, seeking approximately $2.5 billion from donor countries to continue expanding research and vaccine development efforts. Advocates contend that such investment is prudent given the economic and human costs of pandemics, noting that the global spending during COVID-19 reached levels that would cover this amount in mere hours. Even a marginal reduction in vaccine development time could produce benefits that far outweigh the initial costs.

As emerging infectious diseases continue to pose threats, Cepi’s strategy underscores the importance of preparedness through scientific infrastructure that allows for swift response. By building on prior knowledge and advancing modular vaccine technologies, the organization aims to mitigate the impact of the next pandemic before it takes hold.