ICDDR, B has been selected as one of the five laboratories across the globe to work together as part of a centralised network to reliably assess and compare immunological responses generated by COVID-19 vaccine candidates.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) made the announcement Friday. 

The network will use the same testing reagents—originating in the labs of Nexelis and PHE—and follow common protocols to measure the immunogenicity of multiple COVID-19 vaccine candidates, said a press release. 

Other laboratories selected for this collaborative vaccine network are --- Nexelis (Canada) and Public Health England (PHE; UK), VisMederi Srl (Italy), Viroclinics-DDL (Netherlands), and Translational Health Sciences and Technological Institute (THSTI, India).

icddr,b Executive Director Professor John D Clemens said, “Ensuring that immunological responses to COVID-19 vaccines are measured systematically in a manner that allows valid comparisons of vaccines will be essential to global efforts to identify those vaccines of greatest public health value.”

He also remarked that icddr,b commend CEPI’s efforts to establish a centralised laboratory network and is keen to contribute to the network.