What Services Does this Resource Provide?
A critical component of global influenza pandemic preparedness is the production of candidate vaccine viruses representative of circulating zoonotic viruses. Candidate vaccine viruses have been used to create H5, H9, and H7 vaccine lots that have been deployed to national stockpiles and/or clinical trials. This resource provides GMP-quality candidate vaccine viruses for zoonotic influenza. For information on available strains, please see http://www.who.int/influenza/vaccines/virus/candidates_reagents/home/en/index.html.
Where Are Services Provided?
Candidate vaccine viruses are developed by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (SJCRH), one of the NIAID Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance. The production and dissemination of these candidate vaccine viruses is coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) through their Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System program, of which the NIAID contractors at SJCRH are major participants. Reagent grade viruses are also available to researchers upon request.
What Are the Eligibility Criteria?
- GMP viruses should be sent only to vaccine manufacturers.
- Specific permits, which include verification of proper laboratory facilities, are required prior to virus being shipped from St. Jude.
- GMP viruses fall under the WHO Pandemic Influenza Preparedness framework. Requestors must agree to enter into standard material transfer agreement negotiations with WHO.
What is the Application and Approval Process?
Requestors should contact Dr. Richard Webby, Richard.webby@stjude.org, SJCRH for GMP vaccine strain references. SJCRH will require the requestor to provide documentation that the receiving site has the appropriate importation documents, laboratory, and permits for receiving the material. SJCRH will work with NIAID to review the request. If the request is approved, SJCRH will ship the material on behalf of NIAID/National Institutes of Health.