CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, based in Norway, has announced that it will fund the development of the protein-based S-Trimer COVID-19 vaccine candidate by China-based Sichuan Clover Biopharmaceuticals, Inc through a global pivotal Phase 2/3 efficacy clinical trial and to licensure in China and globally, if the vaccine is proven to be safe and effective.

CEPI’s total investment in Clover’s S-Trimer vaccine candidate will be up to $328 million, including previously announced commitments of $69.5 million which have funded preclinical studies and Phase 1 clinical trials, preparations for the global pivotal Phase 2/3 efficacy study, and initial manufacturing scale-up activities.

The expanded partnership is a result of Clover’s successful early-stage clinical development of the S-Trimer vaccine candidate. It will provide full funding for a global pivotal Phase 2/3 efficacy clinical trial of S-Trimer which is expected to begin before the end of 2020 and aims to generate the necessary safety and efficacy data to support licensure of the vaccine candidate. The program will continue scaling up the manufacturing process to potentially allow the production of more than one billion doses annually, and build up vaccine inventory which – if the vaccine is proven to be safe and effective.

Clover is exploring development pathways for the S-Trimer vaccine to be made accessible to populations in China and globally if it is proven to be safe and effective. CEPI and Clover are committed to ensuring equitable global access to the S-Trimer vaccine, and the agreement therefore anticipates that vaccine output funded by CEPI’s investment – potentially hundreds of millions of doses per year – will be made available for procurement and allocation through the COVAX Facility.