Assembling a global vaccine development pipeline for infectious diseases in the developing world.

Abstract

Commercial realities have drastically reduced private investment in the development of new public health tools, but increased awareness of this situation has resulted in the emergence of a variety of research-based, nonprofit organizations. We reviewed current vaccine developments and developed a framework for efficient research and development investments in this area. We have identified several key "push" and "pull" forces within the vaccine research and product development environment and have examined their impacts on the process. These forces affect the global vaccine pipeline, which is composed of all individual vaccine initiatives and global partnerships (i.e., stakeholders), All of these research and development stakeholders must work together to establish and promote a global, sustainable research and development pipeline that delivers optimal vaccines and immunization technologies.