Pandemics: Opportunity Or Threat To The Vaccine Industry

It is a well-known fact that vaccines serve as an effective line of defense against existing and emerging pathogens and diseases that could otherwise be life-threatening.

The universal immunization program involving the use of vaccines against the existing bacterial and viral diseases is an excellent example of the success story of vaccine effectiveness and a driver for the Vaccine industry.

Dilemma of the Vaccine Industry

However, in case of an epidemic or pandemic infection/disease, it becomes a little complicated for the Vaccine industry to decide whether to invest in the development and manufacture of the vaccine.This is primarily because relatively little is known about its disease pathogenesis, and the timelines and regulatory pathways for vaccine development are very tight and stringent.

A great example is the emergence of the recent COVID-19 global pandemic. It appeared as a great challenging opportunity for the established Vaccine manufacturers and the new upcoming start-up companies.

However, of the more than 300 vaccine candidates currently under development at various stages against COVID-19 worldwide, only a handful could obtain emergency use authorization for administration to the public to date (Source: Covid-19 vaccine landscape, WHO).

With the ever-evolving SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen for COVID-19, it remains to be…