Photo: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) logo
By Carol Baldwin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wakaw Recorder
Monday, Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) signed a partnership extension with the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), based in South Korea. The partnership focuses on post-pandemic global health.
“Infectious diseases know no borders,” VIDO Director and CEO Dr. Volker Gerdts said. “By continuing this partnership, we strengthen our ability to respond quickly and collaboratively to emerging threats that impact us all.”
Minister of Trade and Export Development and Minister Responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan, Warren Kaeding, who witnessed the signing as part of his trade mission to South Korea, said, “This renewed partnership reflects Saskatchewan’s commitment to being a global leader in science and innovation and highlights the success of our investments into VIDO. By working with international partners like the IVI, we help ensure that our expertise continues to have a worldwide impact, and underscores Saskatchewan’s Research Strategy released earlier this year.”
The Government of Saskatchewan provides key operational funding to VIDO through Innovation Saskatchewan, ensuring the organization has the resources to advance world-class research and respond to emerging global health challenges. In addition to providing annual operating support, the Government of Saskatchewan has committed more than $19 million to support the development of Canada’s Centre for Pandemic Research, positioning VIDO as a global leader in infectious disease research and vaccine development for humans and animals.
IVI is an international nonprofit with offices worldwide. Located in Seoul, South Korea, on the Seoul National University campus, IVI is a globally recognized organization affiliated with the United Nations Development Programme, focusing on vaccines and vaccination for global health. VIDO has collaborated with IVI for more than 20 years. An MOU, signed in 2019 between the two organizations, established a formal scientific exchange program in infectious disease research and vaccine development, which enables students, post-doctoral fellows, and scientists to complete training and learning exchanges.
“VIDO’s standing as Canada’s Centre for Pandemic Research underscores the University of Saskatchewan’s dedication to advancing science that matters – not only for our province and country, but for people and animals around the globe,” University of Saskatchewan President Peter Stoicheff said.
VIDO signed an agreement on September 26, 2023, to join the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations’ (CEPI) preclinical research network. CEPI is a leading global partnership launched in 2017 with the mission to accelerate the development of vaccines and other countermeasures against epidemic and pandemic threats so they can be accessible to all people in need. VIDO was selected as part of CEPI’s network based on its scientific excellence, robust quality systems, and its strong ethical research practices.
The preclinical research network is an important part of CEPI’s pandemic preparedness plan, which aims to accelerate the development of vaccines against priority pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential, including “Disease X” [an unknown disease] or a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease, in pursuit of the 100 Days Mission. Backed by Canada and other members of the G7 and G20, the 100 Days Mission aims to compress the time taken to develop safe, effective, globally accessible vaccines against emerging disease outbreaks to within 100 days.
VIDO was the only organization in Canada and the ninth in the world selected for this research network as of September 2023.
In January of this year, VIDO was awarded a research grant worth up to $24 million (Cdn) from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which aims to support VIDO’s role in advancing global health and disease prevention. As a protein-based vaccine technology, VIDO’s vaccines are favourable to low- and middle-income countries, being thermostable and not requiring complex frozen storage, which can be lacking in developing nations and can therefore impact access to doses. This funding comes in addition to $30 million (Cdn) provided by PrairiesCan to complete critical infrastructure that establishes VIDO as Canada’s Centre for Pandemic Research, including the new animal housing facility and upgrades to containment Level 4.