Vision / Objectives of the collaboration:
Both CEPI and ISARIC aim to prevent illness and deaths from infectious diseases outbreaks, through research and capacity development.
Objectives of the collaboration:
- To add value to CEPI and ISARIC efforts to enhance and protect global health by identifying and supporting synergies between Tx and Vx development, equitable access and use
- To work collaboratively to support the development of partners capabilities and impact, and to minimise competition and duplication between our programmes
- To provide a coordinated research response
Principles of the collaboration:
- Cooperation and coordination: we will work together, where appropriate, to support our shared goals
- Timeliness: we will communicate in a timely manner, including, where appropriate, in advance of taking action
- Transparency: we will share information, from technical, contextual and political perspectives
- Learning: we will learn from each other’s expertise and contributions
- Global South leadership: we will enable leadership and autonomy of LMIC partners
Legal and financial basis of collaboration:
This collaboration falls under the CEPI/University of Oxford strategic partnership. This document does not imply a funding relationship between CEPI and ISARIC.
Areas of collaboration:
CEPI and ISARIC have initially identified three key areas of collaboration; these are subject to iteration and may evolve over time. This collaboration does not commit either CEPI or ISARIC to taking these areas forwards beyond exploration.
1) Nipah and meningoencephalitis
CEPI and ISARIC have priority programmes focussed on Nipah virus and meningoencephalitis. There are opportunities for collaboration. We will start with:
- Information sharing: For example, there are common needs in epidemiology and for improved diagnostics. CEPI and ISARIC will share information and ensure that our efforts are complementary, not duplicative.
- Joint deliverables: Certain deliverables have a common underlying core between Vx and Tx, and will benefit from having both Vx and Tx expertise contributing. Examples of this include: use-case development for Nipah interventions; case definitions; and pathogen/disease specific information.
- Aligned engagement: Both CEPI and ISARIC work extensively with other partners in Nipah. Where appropriate, we will work together to increase the value for partners, and to leverage each other’s convening power.
- Aligned research and development programmes: plans for the development and evaluation of vaccines and therapeutics may have synergy or interference e.g. clinical trials capabilities; data systems; clinical trial designs. CEPI and ISARIC will work to identify and support synergies and minimise interference.
2) Clinical trials / evidence generation
Both ISARIC and CEPI have common aims to enable and support locally-driven clinical research in LMICs in preparedness and response, of sufficient timeliness and quality to inform decision-making, and which enables equitable access to products. We will explore opportunities to collaborate:
Areas of collaboration to be explored:
- Coordination: CEPI and ISARIC both have roles in operationalising research preparedness and response and will seek opportunities to align and coordinate as part of this operational function. Examples could include sharing lessons and/or jointly convening stakeholders. CEPI and ISARIC operational coordination will dock into higher-level ongoing global coordination initiatives, such as those led by WHO.
- Protocols and tools: CEPI and ISARIC both work on developing protocols and tools. Where appropriate, we will combine efforts or otherwise learn from each other.
- Clinical preparedness: CEPI and ISARIC both work on supporting outbreak response clinical capabilities. We will align to avoid duplication or fragmentation, and to better support clinical readiness.
3) Response
As well as preparedness, CEPI and ISARIC are both response organisations. We will start by: opening early communication channels in a response to determine how and if CEPI and ISARIC should collaborate.