Study In UK: University Of Leeds Speeding Up New Vaccine Development

A new device MANGO is being tested for automating vaccine manufacturing. It can help in lowering new vaccine production time to within 100 days. A tech non-profit company, CPI, has been granted funding to test this product.

UK’s Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) has been granted £2.16m to test MANGO (manufacturing on the go) device. MANGO automates the manufacturing of virus-like particles and helps significantly reduce the time taken for vaccine development.

Professor Stonehouse said, “Using new technology in vaccine production could help us to create vaccines significantly faster, cut costs and improve access to immunisation globally. We have developed virus-like particles as potential vaccine candidates and we are excited to collaborate with partners to develop this technology further.”

Nicola Stonehouse, Professor in Molecular Virology at the University of Leeds’ School of Molecular and Cellular Biology will co-led this project along with partners at the University or Toronto, Imperial College London, University of Waterloo, Liberum Biotech, and Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FioCruz).

MANGO Do Not Rely On Virus-Like Particles

The device will employ a technique called cell-free expression which does not rely on Virus-like particles, or VLPs. The process currently takes up to nine days and MANGO can reduce this to single days.

Dr Raafat Fahim, CEPI Acting Executive Director of Manufacturing and Supply Chain, said, “Virus-like particle-based vaccines are well established already, but—until now—the development process has been protracted. The potentially dramatic time-savings that the MANGO device offers could see VLP-based vaccines transition onto a rapid response platform, directly supporting CEPI’s goal to respond to a Disease X threat with a new vaccine in as little as 100 days after its discovery.”  

Dr Philip Probert, CPI Technology Lead, said, “The development and manufacture of virus-like particle vaccines represents a valuable opportunity for innovation in order to accelerate timelines and reduce process complexity. Working with our international partners, we will apply a novel combination of cell-free expression technology and bespoke hardware, to drive a step change in the time required to supply VLP vaccines. We are delighted to be working with CEPI in support of their 100 Days Mission and facilitating equitable access to life-saving vaccines.”

University of Leeds Member Receives New Year Honours

Alastair Da Costa, Chair of the University Council has been awarded a CBE for services to further education.

He said, “I am equally delighted and humbled by this incredible honour. I have always held a deep passion for skills development and lifelong learning, recognising the transformative power of both Higher and Further Education for individuals and communities alike. As Chair of Council, I know just how uniquely positioned our University is to play a pivotal role in this effort, both regionally and on a national scale. By leveraging our expertise and resources, we can create a future where education truly drives progress and prosperity for all.”

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