Bio-Manguinhos opens symposium on the future of vaccine production

Professionals, researchers and institutions for the development and production of immunobiologicals from around the world will meet this Tuesday (7), in Rio, at the 8th edition of the International Symposium on Immunobiologicals (ISI) to discuss the future of vaccine production , promising new therapies and the use of artificial intelligence in favor of the accurate diagnosis of diseases. Promoted by the Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz), in campus of the institution and at Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV), the symposium will also debate what is most current in the immunobiological market.

The meeting runs until Friday (11) and its main objective is to integrate people, improve their knowledge and, with this, generate a better environment for innovation, said the director of BioManguinhos, Mauricio Zuma, in an interview with Brazil Agency.

“We hope to find people who innovate around the world, and this can generate interactions, something in terms of a new vaccine, technology that we have already mastered,” added Zuma. He informed that there will be discussions about the messenger RNA (mRNA) technological platform and highlighted that the main thing is to make connections between professionals in this area, to create an environment more conducive to the generation of innovations.

Institutions such as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) have participated over the years in the ISI symposium, which is already part of the Bio- Manguinhos.

The debates will also extend to ways of preparing to face possible future pandemics, such as training and strengthening regional laboratories, including through partnerships and scientific and technological exchange. Zuma said that one of the discussions will be on surveillance for the preparation and early identification of pandemics, and on how Brazil should prepare for possible emergencies.

“Another thing is to talk about technology for diagnostics, vaccines and treatment, which are being designed to deal more quickly with possible pandemics. Not specifically to identify the pandemic, but preparation in general”, said the director of Bio-Manguinhos.

He explained that the mRNA platform is one of the ways to prepare for the future. “We are preparing ourselves so that, whatever the epidemic or pandemic that comes, we will be able to, by mastering this platform, provide a rapid response in terms of development, or to arrive at a vaccine faster than the technology that existed in the past. ”

For Zuma, the importance of BioManguinhos holding the symposium is to have the participation of experts from various parts of the world and to integrate studies and research. “Being together with the international community, understanding what they are doing abroad and showing what we are doing here. We are carrying out things here that may be of interest to international communities and, with this, leveraging partnerships and activities that result in some product development project.” It is important to be in constant contact with renowned professionals, whether researchers, managers in strategic areas, universities, research institutes and international institutions, to exchange and improve everyone’s qualifications, he reinforced.

The program includes a panel with the board of directors of the International Network of Vaccine Manufacturers in Developing Countries, an international alliance of producers of which Bio-Manguinhos has been part since its foundation. The annual meeting of this network is scheduled for the second half of this year in Brazil.

The symposium also has space for work and exchange between Brazilian researchers, with an exhibition of posters and presentations on topics related to vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, kits for diagnosis and management focused on biological products.

Bio-Manguinhos’ senior scientific advisor and leader of the scientific committee that coordinates the event and selects the content for exhibition, Akira Homma, informed that the works on display are also competing for prizes. “Since its first edition, the ISI has been designed to offer students and professionals in the field of biotechnology an opportunity to share cutting-edge knowledge with renowned national and international researchers, in addition to promoting Brazilian scientific production”, highlights in a text from Fiocruz.

The 8th edition of the International Symposium on Immunobiologicals will also have a table dedicated to collaboration in innovation, the Innovation Hub, with the participation of the National Center for Research in Energy and Materials, which, according to Fiocruz, is the birthplace of the Brazilian particle accelerator.