The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations launched a funding call with a total budget of $10.7 million, seeking proposals to develop broadly applicable analytical platform technologies that accelerate vaccine manufacturing and improve global access during viral outbreaks. The initiative offers up to $1 million per project to simplify, automate, and speed up testing and product release across RNA, protein-based, and viral vector vaccines.
CEPI Funding Structure and Project Timeline
The $10.7 million allocation divides funding into two distinct stages to manage development risks. The proof-of-concept stage provides up to $200,000 for a maximum duration of 12 months. Projects that achieve successful results can apply for the development stage, which offers up to $800,000 for a maximum of 18 months. The combined project duration cannot exceed 30 months. Progression between stages is strictly conditional on meeting predefined technical milestones.
Individual organizations, consortia, and developers of analytical technologies currently used in non-vaccine sectors are eligible to apply. Applicants must demonstrate a realistic pathway to commercialize their technologies within three years. The program targets solutions that reduce dependence on specialized personnel and complex laboratory infrastructure.
Priority Areas for Vaccine Analytics
CEPI structured the funding call around two primary objectives to address bottlenecks in vaccine development. Priority Area One focuses on faster vaccine product release by reducing the time and cost required after manufacturing. Proposed technologies must streamline analytical processes while maintaining rigorous quality assessments.
Priority Area Two targets expanded vaccine characterization. Applicants are encouraged to develop platforms capable of examining multiple quality attributes across RNA, protein-based, and viral vector modalities. These platforms must generate actionable data to guide manufacturing decisions and support CEPI’s core mission of enabling safe, globally accessible vaccines within 100 days of identifying a viral threat.
CEPI funding amounts and eligibility requirements
What is the maximum funding available per project?
Selected projects can receive up to $1 million in total across both development stages, split into an initial $200,000 proof-of-concept phase and an $800,000 development phase.
Which vaccine platforms are eligible for these analytical technologies?
CEPI encourages modality-agnostic solutions that work across RNA vaccines, protein-based vaccines, viral vector vaccines, and other relevant manufacturing platforms.
Who can apply for the CEPI funding call?
Applications are open to individual organizations, eligible consortia, and developers adapting existing non-vaccine analytical technologies for commercial use within three years.