Longer description of your proposed project

Pandemic Influenza A remains an ongoing threat to human health. Currently, there is no proactive generation of immunity to pandemic influenza strains. This proposal aims to increase resilience against pandemic influenza through inclusion of a pandemic influenza strain in the seasonal quadrivalent influenza vaccine recommended by WHO.

Seasonal influenza strains currently are either trivalent or quadrivalent vaccines that include 3 or 4 strains of Influenza A or B (2 strains of Influenza A and 1 or 2 strains of Influenza B). Since 2020, most likely due to indirect effects on human transmission caused by non-pharmacological interventions to counter the COVID-19 epidemic, it appears that only one strain of Influenza B now circulates. The current WHO response to this fortunate occurrence is to recommend manufacturing trivalent seasonal influenza vaccines in future. My alternative suggestion is to take advantage of the vacant quadrivalent strain slot to add in an additional pandemic strain of Influenza A. This would improve population pre-immunity against potential future Influenza A pandemics.

I am based in Australia. I would use this funding to attend academic and medical conferences, working groups, and WHO collaborating centre activities in Australia and potentially overseas. With other interested parties, we would build a coalition to develop a framework for the evidence generation that would need to occur. We would generate data that would build confidence in the WHO recommending a pandemic influenza strain as part of the regular quadrivalent seasonal influenza vaccine (the trivalent vaccine would remain as an option without a pandemic strain). Initial project funding is USD$30,000, which will fund travel expenses and conference expenses. Larger amounts of money might be required if this requires academic FTEs, e.g. post-doc funding through an academic institution. This is true seed funding at this stage.

I can't see a way that I will financially benefit if this proposal is taken up by WHO and I do not work for a company that produces vaccines.

Describe why you think you're qualified to work on this

I have a PhD in Biochemistry and have worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 25 years in various regulatory affairs and product commercialisation roles. I have a good understanding of the influenza vaccine strain selection process, however my in-person experience is of the Australia process only.

From my roles, I know how to talk to and convince medical specialists, pharmaceutical regulators, and academic researchers.

Other ways I can learn about you

LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/duncanpurvisau

How much money do you need?

USD $30,000 (granted as ACX grant). $70k for academic project partner funding.

Links to any supporting documents or information

https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/influenza/who-influenza-recommendations/vcm-southern-hemisphere-recommendation-2024/202309_recommendation.pdf includes information on lack of circulating Influenza B (Yamagata-like) strains since March 2020, and recommends deletion of this strain from future vaccines.

Estimate your probability of succeeding if you get the amount of money you asked for

I think it is more likely than not that one or more academic publication results from this idea. I think it is 20-50% that this idea is seriously considered as part of future WHO deliberations on the seasonal influenza vaccine composition. I think it is <20% that WHO changes their recommendation, but I'm hoping to at least shift the Overton window of their discussions and deliberations, so inclusion of a pandemic influenza strain is debated as a serious option. I can see no sign that this option has been voiced or discussed so far in any meeting minutes, and it was not discussed at all as part of Australian Influenza Vaccine Committee discussions in 2023.