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Tuberculosis Vaccine Accelerator Council

In January 2023, WHO’s Director-General announced plans to establish a TB vaccine accelerator Council to facilitate the development, testing, authorization, and use of new TB vaccines, drawing on lessons learned from the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The establishment meeting of the Council took place on 20 September 2023, on the occasion of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in the lead up to the Second United Nations High-level Meeting on TB.The Council is anticipated to work in multiple ways. These includeidentifying needs for, and types of innovative sustainable financial solutions, as well as partnerships between the public, private and philanthropic sectors that can expedite the translation of science into TB vaccines, and ensure their equitable access once available; identifying market solutions to incentivize TB vaccine development, and to ensure that the R&D ecosystem is positioned to rapidly manufacture and distribute vaccines equitably and at scale, once they are available; and advocating with decision makers in the public, private, philanthropy and other relevant sectors to strengthen commitment and concerted action to develop and expand access to novel effective TB vaccines, including through political platforms such as the African Union, ASEAN, BRICS, G20, G7 and others.

Financing and policy innovation to advance TB vaccines through licensure: A G20 policy proposal

The authors developed two T20 policy briefs proposing recommendations to enhance G20 leadership and bring TB vaccines through licensure: Investment Toolbox to Advance TB Vaccine R&D through Joint Action (2023); and Elevating Leadership of HBC G20 States in TB Vaccine R&D and Delivery (2024). The briefs were informed by extensive literature research and aligned with global initiatives for TB and TB vaccine R&D.

Global TB vaccine partnership

The Global Tuberculosis Vaccine Partnership (GTBVP) is a forum for key stakeholders in TB vaccine R&D to identify and address barriers impeding TB vaccine R&D and to discuss R&D priorities in order to help inform funding decisions

Preferred product characteristics for new tuberculosis vaccine

The document presents WHO preferences for new tuberculosis vaccines, driven by the high medical need for contribution to the fight against TB, in alignment with the End TB strategy. Priorities are for a vaccine to be administered to adolescents and adults for prevention of pulmonary tuberculosis and reduction of transmission, and for a pediatric vaccine with improved safety and efficacy as compared to BCG.

Preferred product characteristics for therapeutic vaccines to improve tuberculosis treatment outcomes

The preferred product characteristics (PPC) for therapeutic TB vaccines described in this document are intended to provide guidance to scientists, funding agencies, public and private sector organizations developing such vaccine candidates. This document presents potential clinical end-points for ev idence generation and discusses key considerations about potential clinical development strategies

Evidence considerations for vaccine policy development for tuberculosis vaccines intended for adults and adolescents

The ECVP facilitates early engagement and alignment across the stakeholders involved in vaccine development and those responsible for vaccine regulatory, policy, funding and country introduction decisions. This framework aims to anticipate and collectively delineate the clinical trial, observational, and other data likely to be required by global and national policymakers, and to do so when most valuable – during development of the late-stage clinical plan, including the design of the pivotal licensure trial.

A global framework to prepare for country introduction of new TB vaccines for adults and adolescents

New vaccines for the prevention of TB disease in adolescents and adults could become available in the next 3-5 years. WHO has therefore developed a Global Framework to prepare for Country Introduction of New TB Vaccines for Adults and Adolescents which aims to guide countries and global stakeholders in preparing for the introduction and scale-up in countries. This framework has been drafted in collaboration with a WHO Expert Advisory Group and in consultation with other stakeholders, and describes critical activities to prepare for introduction decision-making and subsequent implementation and impact of new TB vaccines for adults and adolescents. 
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