This project aims to decrease COVID-19 and other vaccine-preventable diseases related to mortality and morbidity of populations, especially for those experiencing marginalization and/or vulnerability, including women and children. This project accelerates the development of regional manufacturing of quality-assured, safe, and effective (Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines to increase timely access for countries in the Americas. The project supports the Regional Platform to Advance the Manufacturing of COVID-19 Vaccines, a multilateral collaboration between the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Health Organization, the Medicines Patent Pool, and other partners. The project aligns with the global Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator initiative to accelerate technology transfer for mRNA vaccine manufacturing capacities to low- and middle-income countries. This project supports partners from the regional hub-and-spoke institutions in Argentina and Brazil in vaccine development and production processes in the Americas region. Also, it focuses on strengthening regional value chains to source the necessary components for a regional vaccine manufacturing value chain and to create an enabling environment for regional vaccine production by strengthening of national regulatory systems and relevant policies. Project activities include: (1) developing manufacturing capacities of mRNA and other technology platforms-based vaccines in selected institutions; (2) developing preclinical and clinical studies of mRNA candidate vaccines in selected institutions; (3) providing training in the development and manufacturing of vaccines through mRNA and other technological platforms; (4) facilitating inter-institutional articulation between Member States and other key partners to strengthen the vaccine value chain, and enable sustainable projects for its development and production; (5) creating opportunities to enable the development of projects for regional supply chains for vaccine development, manufacturing, and distribution in selected countries; (6) Supporting Member States to strengthen their human resources capacities on enabling functions for local vaccine production, including vaccine-importing countries; and (7) assessing and proving recommendations on the role of women and their participation within the regulatory systems and on the role of women in the vaccine industry in Latin America. The project expects to reach approximately 15 institutions and national authorities (among others, health, science and technology, production development, foreign affairs, national regulatory authorities and manufacturers) in Argentina, Brazil, and at least three additional countries at the project implementation plan stage. Together, these stakeholders will also provide technical cooperation to strengthen national health regulation systems (regulation and oversight) to at least 15 countries and territories in the Region that export and import vaccines. The Project will also reach at least 12vaccine manufacturing and development institutions as indirect beneficiaries across countries.
