Technology & Supply

New pipeline to manufacturers

Tracking the pipeline from research to manufacturing shows whether regions are building the capability to first develop and then produce their own vaccines, and whether these align with their priority disease lists.

The data shows that LAC and ASEAN have stronger clinical trial foundations, with most late-stage trials led by regional sponsors and involving local companies. This creates a solid base for developing and bringing new vaccines to market. In contrast, Africa relies more on external organizations to lead trials, with more limited involvement from local manufacturers. Furthermore, at least 50% of clinical trials in each region were for priority diseases.

To move forward, efforts in Africa are needed to strengthen local leadership in clinical development. Increasing the involvement of local manufacturers will be key to turning research into locally produced vaccines. This will help support innovation, improve access to priority vaccines, and strengthen long-term health security.

Localized manufacturing platforms

A diverse mix of technologies helps regions meet routine immunization needs and respond quickly to new health threats.

The data shows clear differences across regions. LAC has the broadest range of platforms in use for commercialized products, followed by ASEAN, while Africa relies on a more limited set. Across all regions, newer and more flexible technologies remain underrepresented.

Regions will need to find the right balance between established and newer platforms. This means identifying priority technologies that support both routine needs and outbreak preparedness, while ensuring sufficient demand. Achieving this will require sustained collaboration between governments, funders, and industry to align investments with regional health priorities.

Technology transfers

Technology transfer plays an important role in helping regions build vaccine manufacturing capacity. In the early stages, it allows manufacturers to use existing technologies to get started more quickly and begin developing the skills and workforce needed for the future.

The number of technology transfer agreements has remained broadly stable across regions, though there has been a noticeable increase in Africa. There has also been a shift away from COVID-19-related transfers toward other diseases. While some agreements have successfully led to marketed products, outcomes vary. Earlier agreements have been more likely to result in products reaching the market, partly because they have had more time to mature. More recent trends also reflect changing market conditions, including reduced demand after the pandemic.

To make further progress, regions will need to focus on improving the effectiveness of these transfers. This includes building workforce skills and strengthening supply chains - both upstream, to ensure access to key materials, and downstream, to support storage and delivery. Better data on these areas will also be important to understand how strong these systems are and where more support is needed.