This new system will allow you to plan your visit to the event from the comfort of your computer… and take it with you on your Smartphone!

You can use the World Vaccine Congress portal to plan your sessions, identify exhibitors you want to see, and even to network with other attendees.

And when you use the World Vaccine Congress mobile app, all your preferences, appointments and favourites will already be there for you.

The app is designed to enhance your event experience before, during and after the show, by putting the following features and information at your fingertips: Full event schedule, personalised agenda, exhibitor listings, floorplan maps, social networking, speaker listings, lots, lots, more…

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The World Vaccine Congress Washington 2012

• Get a new perspective on how Takeda is planning to set up and expand their vaccine business from Dr Rajeev Venkayya, the new Executive Vice President of the Vaccine Business at Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
• Discover the prospects for developing a safe, effective and accessible vaccine to prevent AIDS from Margie McGlynn, the President & CEO of IAVI
• Learn how improving affordability, availability, and accessibility of vaccines can impact the vaccine business and overall global Public Health from Dr Mark Feinberg, Vice President and Chief Public Health and Science Officer, Merck Vaccines
• Discuss the new developments in the emerging market vaccine industry enabling you to expand and grow your portfolio with the new BVGH CEO Don Joseph
• Find out how to structure winning partnerships in emerging markets through an update on new product and technology developments from sanofi pasteur’s corporate development advisor, Allan Jarvis.
• How can the vaccine industry remain at the forefront of innovation and keep prices at a global competitive level at the same time? Hear from Jerry Sadoff the CMO of Crucell to align your development strategy.
• What are the research-innovations in vaccine development that will lead us to achieve disease eradication? Hear from John Hewko the CEO of Rotary International on the specific case of polio eradication.
• Learn why pricing transparency matters and what its advantages are. Hear about the 10 years of Unicef prices: learnings and innovative market shaping strategies from Daniel Berman the Deputy Director for Medicines Sans Frontiers Access Campaign.

To hear from all 160 expert speakers at the Congress, book your place now at: www.terrapinn.com/vaccineusa

The influenza virus is found naturally in man, pigs, birds and many other animals and can move between species. It is a very mobile virus and can rapidly change itself to produce new viruses to which there is no natural protection. However, the initial step towards a new virus becoming a pandemic in man is, obviously, for it to be able to infect man, this is the first warning signal but it needs to be able to spread from human to human to achieve pandemic status.

What are H and N ?

The influenza virus comes in many forms A/B/C etc but it is only the A type that causes pandemics in man. On the surface of the A virus are two antigens (proteins) called Haemagglutinin and Neuraminidase (H and N respectively). As the virus mutates these antigens change and are given numbers to reflect these changes hence H1N1 etc.

H1N1 Swine Flu

In 2009 a swine influenza virus (called H1N1) caused a pandemic, starting a human to human spread in Mexico with early indications of a high mortality. The WHO responded, a pandemic was declared, the world’s vaccine manufacturers mobilised vaccine manufacture, and the virus spread rapidly around the world. Typically influenza impacts the older age groups and those with pre-existing diseases. H1N1, however, impacted on young adults and this was probably because older people had a cross sensitivity protection from exposure to H1N1 in the 1950/60s. The initial high mortality was not reflected as it spread globally, although fatalities occurred they were more isolated than in Mexico. The vaccine was taken up widely in the US but less enthusiastically in Europe. The virus continues to circulate and is causing cases on a worldwide basis, but the strain is part of the seasonal vaccine and there is widespread immunity in the general population.

H5N1 – Bird (Avian) Flu

The H5N1 virus was first identified in the US in a wild mallard duck and is found widely throughout bird populations in Asia. Samples taken from poultry markets in China have shown that it is widely spread in the whole poultry population. A recent outbreak in Hong Kong seagulls led to a cull of chickens following the report of the death of a man on mainland China. It has the ability to infect man but, currently, cannot be transmitted from man to man. Each case reported to date has occurred in those who directly handle live poultry. It is however a significantly pathogenic virus and has caused 345 deaths out of 584 cases (Feb 2012) as it causes a viral pneumonia.

There are a number of vaccines already prepared for H5N1 and approved under the pandemic influenza approval systems. These would proceed into production in the event that the virus mutates to human to human transmission.

Recently a team in Rotterdam have created a highly contagious strain of H5N1 in the laboratory. Five mutations were introduced into the H5N1 genome and this was then passed between ferrets for 10 passages. The resultant virus was highly contagious. There is now a wide spread debate about the experiment. Clearly if the detailed technology is published any terrorist group could create lethal viruses, however the scientific community sees this as a dramatic advance that could help the understanding of influenza to prevent future epidemics. The debate continues.

A (H3N2) v`

H3N2 is endemic in pigs in Asia. In the last 4 months CDC have received over 12 reports of an H3N2 virus that has a matrix gene from a 2009 pandemic H1N1 strain in the viral shell. This has been given the nomenclature A (H3N2) v. It appears to be able to spread from pig to man and man to man. The CDC has prepared a vaccine seed strain in case the strain spreads and HHS is preparing a clinical trial with vaccine from Sanofi Pasteur and Novartis. No vaccine has been ordered but the manufacturers have been given the working seeds. Some cross protection to H3N2 viruses circulating in the 1990s is expected. This has also been found in pigs in Hong Kong

Cases of an H1N1v have also been identified.

H3N8

An H3N8 virus has caused the deaths of several hundred harbour seals off the New England coast. It is of low infectivity to man but the public are being warned not to approach the dead seals.

H4N8

A report in Virology from Japan has described an H4N8 which was found in shorebirds that is lethal to mice.

H5N2

The H5N2 outbreak in South African ostrich farms has devastated the industry following the cull of 38K birds.

H6N5

This has been isolated from a wild bird in South Korea, although this was transmissible in ferrets it was not pathogenic in pigs or poultry.

H7N2

This has infected two people.

H7N3

This has infected three people.

H9N2

This has infected three people.

H10N7

This has infected three people.

What will be the next pandemic ?

The influenza virus passes regularly across species and is highly mutant changing its immunological appearance. Small changes cause the seasonal influenza, however a large change which allows the virus to pass from man to man causes an epidemic. It is impossible to predict which virus will case the epidemic and when. The WHO have a worldwide surveillance organisation which detects the earliest changes and minimises the time until an effective vaccine is made available. The only certainty is that there will be another pandemic and the next one may be much more aggressive than H1N1.

Dr Kevin Bryett

Course Director

3 Day MBA in Vaccines

The 3 day MBA in Vaccines will get you up-to-date on the latest developments. Download the brochure for to find out more.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity – register now!

The World Vaccine Congress Washington is just 7 weeks away and we look forward to sharing the content with our social media network.

Whether you’ve booked tickets to the conference or not, we want you to be part of the conference via Twitter, so remember #WVCUSA, the official hashtag for the event.

We will be Tweeting before, during and after the event giving everyone live updates on who’s there and what’s being discussed using the hashtag #WVCUSA (or #wvcusa)

Whether you use capitals or not, just make sure you put the # in front of it and everyone will be able to follow your questions, comments and opinions.

Twitter account: @vaccinenation
Hashtag: #WVCUSA

Congress programme: http://www.terrapinn.com/conference/world-vaccine-congress-washington/programme.stm

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The World Vaccine Congress Washington team

• More speakers came on board, which means more relevant and informative content for you.

›› See the latest speaker list here

• Meet the leading vaccine solution providers who have joined us to provide you with the latest technologies and tools to achieve your goals.

›› Have a look at our commercial partners

• Over 500 attendees have already signed up to enjoy 4 days of in-depth knowledge sharing and networking

  ›› See the delegate list here

Shouldn’t you be on this list as well? Join the elite of the vaccine development world!

Don’t miss the early bird price expiring next Friday 2nd March. Register here

Dr Nigel Silman, Strategic Coordinator, Research, HPA Microbiology Services, Health Protection Agency, joined us at the World Vaccine Congress Washington 2011 and delivered a presentation on the Key immunological observations on the development of pandemic influenza A vaccines

The presentation covered:

• Whilst the ferret is the Gold Standard animal model, the lack of immunological reagents limits use
• Using genome sequence data we have produced a microarray assay for cytokines
• Pilot studies have shown immune response to natural infection
• Prospects for designing vaccines which give a “natural” immune response will be discussed

Watch the video here!

The 2012 World Vaccine Congress Washington is taking place on 10th – 13th April and will have a whole day dedicated to governmental addresses, new public health initiatives and immunization plan updates, bringing you the latest information from the leading experts in the field.

Download the brochure to find out more here

Vaccine Technologies: Nathalie Charland, Director, Product Portfolio, Medicago joined us at the World Vaccine Congress Washington 2011 discussing Innovative technologies for next-generation vaccines based on virus-like particles (VLPs).

The presentation covered:

• Introduction to technology platforms
• High-throughput discovery and manufacturing
• Clinical results for both Phase II (pandemic avian flu vaccine) and Phase I (seasonal flu vaccine)

Watch the video here!

Enjoy!

The 2012 World Vaccine Congress Washington is taking place on 10th – 13th April and will have a whole day dedicated to governmental addresses, new public health initiatives and immunization plan updates, bringing you the latest information from the leading experts in the field.

Dr Melinda Wharton,

Dr Melinda also shared her views on what can we learn from this ongoing surveillance and what can we apply in response to the findings.

Watch his case study to find out more about what has been and what still can be done to encourage national governments to review their needs for influenza surveillance.

Watch the video here!

Enjoy!

The 2012 World Vaccine Congress Washington is taking place on 10th – 13th April and will have a whole day dedicated to governmental addresses, new public health initiatives and immunization plan updates, bringing you the latest information from the leading experts in the field.

Visit the 2012 website and download the brochure for more information

Bayer

• Why plant cell-lines are ideal for vaccine production and can address the problems of a pandemic
• Can the limiting factor of limited regulatory experience of plant cell-lines be overcome to allow the further developments?
• Understanding that the regulatory viral concerns surrounding plant cell-lines have less associated cost in DSP than mammalian cells

You can join John and learn from his experiences at the World Vaccine Cell Culture Congress, Washington, where in the Spring, the leading minds from across the vaccine industry will be coming together to forward this exciting industry.

• Do you possess novel vaccine technology everyone needs to know about?
• Which company achieved their clinical trial data milestones stood out for you in the last year?
• Have you made a difference that has impacted and influenced others positively?

Time to cast your vote now – nominate yourself and your partners in the following categories:

· Best Prophylactic Vaccine

· Best Therapeutic Vaccine

· Best Partnership/Alliance

· Best Vaccine License

· Best Vaccine R&D pipeline

· Pharma Executive of the Year

· Best Venture Capital Investment

· Best Early-Stage Vaccine Biotech

· Biotech Executive of the Year

· Best Clinical Trial Site

· Best Clinical Trial Site Network

· Best CRO

· Best CMO

Get yourself and your team voting, as one single vote can make a big difference. Vote here

Organisations including Accelovance, VaxNet, GAVI, MedicaGo, Pfizer and sanofi pasteur walked off with top honours for their respective roles spearheading the global vaccine industry last year – let’s honour the outstanding performers of 2012.

See more details about the awards online

Good luck!