Global push to broaden H5N1 protection
In a bid to accelerate pandemic preparedness, the Serum Institute of India (SII) and CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) have launched a collaborative project to develop a new vaccine targeting H5N1 avian influenza. The effort aims to create a prototype that could serve as a model for Disease X, an as-yet-unknown pathogen with potential for a future pandemic. The collaboration will be funded with up to $16.4 million and centers on producing a broad immune response capable of protecting against multiple H5 virus strains.
Two-pronged vaccine approach on a baculovirus platform
The project will use a baculovirus protein expression system to compare two H5 antigens for a recombinant protein vaccine: a wild-type antigen and an artificial intelligence (AI)-optimized, broad-spectrum H5 antigen designed by researchers at Houston Methodist Research Institute. The goal is to determine which antigen elicits a wider and more durable immune response across diverse H5 strains, addressing the virus’s ability to evolve and spread in poultry and humans.
100-day vaccine development mission and global manufacturing readiness
CEPI describes the vaccine candidate as a critical component of its 100-day mission — the initiative to shorten the time from threat identification to a scalable vaccine supply. By strengthening collaboration with SII, a trusted vaccine manufacturing partner, the project seeks to bridge early-stage development with rapid global manufacture and supply, ensuring that a potential outbreak can be met with a timely, broad-spectrum vaccine option.
Richard Hatchett, MD, CEPI’s CEO, emphasized that the new project deepens collaboration with SII to “power up global readiness to tackle pandemic threats, from early-stage vaccine development through to global manufacture and supply.” The funding and development strategy reflect CEPI’s broader aim to shorten vaccine timelines and widen protection against evolving pathogens.
Why broad-spectrum H5 protection matters
H5 viruses circulate in poultry across Asia and other regions, with occasional human infections. A vaccine capable of inducing broad immunity across multiple H5 strains would be a valuable tool for outbreak control and could inform vaccine design strategies for future high-consequence pathogens. The reliance on an AI-optimized antigen highlights how modern computational design can guide the selection of epitopes likely to confer cross-strain protection, potentially reducing the need for strain-by-strain vaccine updates during an evolving outbreak.
H9N2 in China underscores ongoing avian flu vigilance
Separately, Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) has reported two new H9N2 avian influenza cases from mainland China, bringing the 2025 total to 21 cases. A 2-year-old boy from Hunan Province and a 70-year-old woman from Jiangxi Province developed symptoms at the end of September. Most cases in the past six months have been among children under seven years old, and all 2025 detections have been in mainland China. While H9N2 infections are generally milder in many cases, the virus remains a concern for public health surveillance and vaccine research planning.
Chronic wasting disease in Wyoming elk prompts hunter involvement
Wyoming’s game and fish department reported a new case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in an adult female elk from Elk Hunt Area 116 in the Casper region. This marks the area’s first detected positive elk for CWD in this hunting area. The Black Hills Elk Herd, which includes several nearby hunting zones, continues to be monitored as part of ongoing disease surveillance. CWD spreads through infectious prions and affects cervids such as deer, elk, and moose. Health officials are encouraging hunters to participate in disease monitoring by submitting free samples for CWD testing when hunting in priority areas, supporting data collection and future management decisions.
Continued monitoring of CWD remains essential to understand potential ecological and economic impacts, as well as to inform wildlife management actions. The collaboration between public health agencies, veterinary services, and the hunting community helps ensure a proactive response to emerging threats in wildlife and human health alike.
