Introduction

Comparing immune responses against different potential vaccine candidates is challenging. Biological variation and technical differences (how and where specimens are collected, transported, stored, and analyzed) impacts the quality and usefulness of the data produced and makes comparisons between measurements in individual laboratories difficult. Launched in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, CEPI’s Centralised Laboratory Network (CLN) is the world’s largest network of vaccine testing laboratories.

It aims to support CEPI-supported developers and others to evaluate CEPI priority-pathogen vaccines against common protocols, to ensure alignment and information sharing when identifying the most promising candidates.

To date, the network has served over 60 vaccine developers to assess their vaccines candidates at all stages of developments, processing over 120,000 samples runs (over 70,000 samples). The CLN has expanded in 2025 to 20 laboratories worldwide; the facilities will provide the same services to support vaccine development against one or more of CEPI’s priority diseases – Lassa virus, MERS, Nipah, and others. In the event of an outbreak of infectious disease, having an established global clinical laboratory network in place will facilitate faster data readouts by harmonizing analyses and reducing sample shipping times due to its worldwide footprint. To that end and in support of the 100 Days Mission, CEPI continues to expand the number and global footprint of laboratories within its centralized lab network.  

Laboratory

Location

Type of institution

Disease Experience

Contracted to work on

UKHSA

UK

Govt. Institute

SARS, Lassa, Nipah ,MERS, CCHF, Zika, Hantavirus, Influenza, Monkeypox virus, Ebola, Marburg

SARS-CoV-2 and new pathogens

MHRA

UK

Govt. Institute

Lassa, Nipah, RVF, MERS, Chick, Ebola, Zika, CCHF

SARS-CoV-2 and new pathogens

Nexelis, Q2 Solutions

Canada

Private

SARS, MERS, Chik, Nipah, Ebola

SARS-CoV-2 and new pathogens

VisMederi

Italy

Private

SARS, Lassa, Influenza, Yellow Fever

SARS-CoV-2 and new pathogens

Viroclinics

Netherland

Private

SARS, MERS, Influenza, RSV, Polio, Measles, Rabies, Deng

SARS-CoV-2 and new pathogens

THSTI

India

Govt. Institute

SARS-CoV-2, Various Bacteria infections

SARS-CoV-2

ICMR

India

Govt. Institute

SARS, Chick, Dengue, Japanese encephalitis, CCHF, Nipah, Zika, Ebola

New pathogens

Icddr,b

Bangladesh

Non-for profit

Influenza, Polio, Mumps, Measles, Rubella, Hepatitis B, SARS, Nipah

SARS-CoV-2 and new pathogens

Q2 Solutions

China

Private

SARS, HIV

SARS-CoV-2 and new pathogens

Synexa

South Africa

Private

SARS, HIV, TB, Malaria, Influenza, Hepatitis, CMV, EBV

SARS-CoV-2 and new pathogens

KAVI

Kenya

Non-for profit

SARS, Chikungunya, Lassa, MERS, HIV, DENGUE RVF

SARS-CoV-2 and new pathogens

IPD

Senegal

Non-for profit

SARS, RVF, Ebola, Chikc, Lassa, Ebola, Yellow fever, Marburg

SARS-CoV-2 and new pathogens

UVRI

Uganda

Non-for profit

SARS, HIV, Ebola, Yellow Fever, RVF

SARS-CoV-2 and new pathogens

UNAM

Mexico

Non-for profit

Ebola, Dengue, Zika, Rotavirus, Influenza

SARS-CoV-2 and new pathogens

Charles River

USA

Private

CMV, Adenovirus, HIV, SARS-CoV2, HepB, VZV, Malaria, Dengue, Ebola

New pathogens

Doherty

Australia

Non-for profit

HIV, influenza, SARS, Paxamyxovirus (Nipah, Hendra), Chick, Ebola, MERS

SARS-CoV-2 and new pathogens

Q2Solutions

USA

Private

 SARS-CoV-2 S ELISA

SARS-CoV-2 and new pathogens

NIFDC

China

Govt. Institute

SARS-Cov-2, HPV, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, LASV, Ebola, Marburg, RVF, Nipah, SFTS, CHIKF

New pathogens

INRB

DRC

Govt. Institute

Ebola, Polio, Influenza, Mpox, Measles, Rotavirus

New pathogens

IVI

South Korea

Non-for-profit

Coronaviruses, Chikungunya, Lassa, Influenza, Hep E, HPV

KDCA

South Korea

Govt.Institute

Coronaviruses, Chikungunya, Lassa, Influenza, Hep E, HPV 

Global CLN Advisory Council (GCAC) at CEPI's Centralised Laboratory Network

CEPI's Centralised Laboratory Network (CLN) is pleased to announce the formation of the Global CLN Advisory Council (GCAC), which aims to ensure that our 18 facilities within the network are more actively involved in critical decision-making processes. This initiative will offer a unique opportunity to address both current and future challenges within the CLN. The GCAC members will play a key role in:

• Assisting the CLN as urgent matters arise
• Facilitating assay development, validation, and transfer, while simplifying processes to meet quality and regulatory standards.
• Collaborating with other facilities to address scientific and logistical challenges, providing feedback to CEPI members.
• Offering guidance and input on key initiatives.

After a competitive selection process, the following individuals have been chosen to represent various facilities on the GCAC:

Luc Gagnon - Nexelis-IQVIA
Giada Mattiuzzo - MHRA
Justin Devine - Synexa
Jayanta Bhattacharya - THSTI
Jennifer Serwanga - UVRI
Weijin Huang – NIFDC

The GCAC will meet every two months. The extended team, including a representative from each facility, will help foster broader engagement and support across the network. Please note that technical and logistical communications regarding assay development will continue to be managed directly by the CEPI-CLN team.

Publications

Publications and other resources from the CLN are available here: Publications