The UK Government has announced £10million worth of funding for vaccine research.
The money will be used to combat potential epidemics in developing countries.
The Government's UK Vaccine Network (UKVN) will contribute to 22 research projects, delivered by Innovate UK, in a bid to tackle viruses such as Ebola, Lassa Fever and Zika.
Some of the projects being backed are looking at ways to tackle “Disease X” - a hypothetical future pathogen – with the aim of better preparing for future epidemics and pandemics.
The UKVN has already funded 78 projects with over £115million and earlier work on a Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) vaccine by the University of Oxford, part-funded by the UKVN, contributed to the development of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid vaccine.
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Covid-19 has shown us first-hand just how important it is that we work together to keep everyone across the world safe.
“I am delighted that these innovative projects – tackling serious and deadly diseases - will receive the funding they need to take their research to the next stage.
“Thank you to the expert scientists behind these vital projects for their efforts that will continue to save millions of lives.”
Indro Mukerjee, Chief Executive of Innovate UK, added: “Innovate UK is proud to deliver this vital work on behalf of the UK Vaccine Network. This will build on the crucial delivery of vaccines and vaccine platform technologies
“These projects will help to prevent future outbreaks of viral diseases in the developing world and may offer utility against future pandemics, as previously realised with the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for COVID-19.”
Among the projects awarded funding are a University of Nottingham programme for a vaccine to prevent infection by viruses such as Dengue or Zika, a DIOSyn Vax vaccine candidate to combat Lassa Fever, Ebola and Marburg virus and the UK Health Security Agency's attempt to develop a Chikungunya virus vaccine.
All three projects received almost £500,000.
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