A new “variant proof” coronavirus vaccine by Cambridge University has received global backing worth millions of pounds.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the project to develop the “NextGen” jab against known and future variants.
He spoke via video link at the opening of a conference of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) in London which is partnering with the university to make the jab.
CEPI will invest up to £32million towards a version of mRNA technology already used in Moderna and Pfizer jabs that could be quickly modified to target new pathogens.
Mr Johnson said: “The UK is proud to have committed to a quarter of a billion pounds to support CEPI at the start of the pandemic, because it was precisely the partnership between CEPI, government, industry and academia which helped our vaccines to triumph over the virus.
“And now, we must come together to support CEPI’s global plan for the next generation of vaccine technologies, such as the new variant-proof vaccine being developed at Cambridge University to help protect us against the next Covid variant, or indeed, against the next pandemic.”
DIOSynVax, a university spin-off company, is working with the structure of proteins, computational biology and on boosting the immune system to work out how vaccines can be used to their best effect.
If the plan works, experts believe that vaccines could rapidly be developed against “Disease X” - unknown pathogens that have yet to emerge but which could cause pandemics.
Dr Richard Hatchett, chief executive of CEPI, said: “The UK Government and the country’s world-leading scientific institutions have been pivotal to the global response to Covid-19.
“From the development of the CEPI-supported Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine - which is used in more countries than any other - to the ground-breaking Recovery trial to evaluate life-saving treatments like dexamethasone, British science has played a leading role in protecting the world from Covid-19.
“I am excited to further strengthen CEPI’s strong ties to British science through this partnership with DIOSynVax.”
Professor Jonathan Heeney, chief executive of DIOSynVax, said: “Our approach is to be ahead of the next pandemic.
“To deliver custom-designed, immune selected vaccine antigens - which is ideal to prevent diseases caused by complex viruses such as the large and diverse family of coronaviruses.
“If successful, it will result in a safe, affordable NextGen vaccine for widespread use.”
England’s chief medical officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, told the CEPI conference the world had had many “near misses” with pandemics, and preparation for the next one was key.
