The past 19 months have proved that even the most challenging circumstances can be overcome through collaboration and innovation. Hopefully, the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic will push us forward into greater scientific achievements and more efficient critical support processes for the benefit of the entire world.
Contents
1. A Global Threat
After the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency on January 30, the world was challenged with finding an accelerated path to immunization against a rapidly spreading virus, SARS-CoV-2 – the pathogen identified as causing the disease.
2. Meeting the Challenge
Vaccine developers were called to the forefront of the effort to contain the virus, partnering with governments and business rivals to expedite a path to the creation of an effective vaccine.
3. Current State
In regions with high rates of full vaccination, infection rates are slowing significantly and many pandemic restrictions are now being lifted.
4. An Extraordinary Achievement
A typical research and development timeline for vaccines is 10-15 years prior to manufacture and distribution. The first COVID-19 vaccine completed this process and was being distributed in approximately 11 months.
5. Lessons Learned
This is a success story born of collaboration, risk mitigation and accelerated innovation. Ultimately, the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines represents the alignment of an urgent global need, regulatory flexibility, and sheer force of will.
6. Future State
Real world data supports the growing realization that the vaccine development process can be accelerated significantly without negative impacts on patient safety.
7. Agile Documentation and Localization
Recent technological advances will offer new possibilities for expediting the translation of critical documents without compromising quality.
For more detail about what the past two years have meant for vaccine development and where the future may take us, download our full whitepaper.
