Last week, Project INNOVATE reached an important milestone with its first in-person All-Investigators’ Meeting, held in New Delhi, India, from July 8th to 10th.
Co-organised by DCVMN International and INCLEN Trust International, with the support of CEPI, the meeting brought together project leaders, thematic experts, investigators, and country site leadership teams for three days of harmonisation, experience sharing, and alignment on the next phase of implementation.
Since its launch at the 26th DCVMN Annual General Meeting in Bali, Project INNOVATE has been steadily building toward what is designed to be a harmonised, multi-country network of surveillance sites capable of generating high-quality evidence on vaccine safety, evidence that supports vaccine research and development, manufacturers, regulatory authorities, and CEPI’s 100 Days Mission for accelerated pandemic preparedness and response. Bringing the investigators from all participating sites into the same room for the first time was a pivotal step in turning that vision into operational reality.
Over three days, participants worked collaboratively to harmonise the research protocol, agree on country-specific adaptations, and finalise implementation plans across the network’s nine surveillance sites in six countries: Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, and South Africa.
The meeting concluded with strong scientific and operational alignment across all participating sites, laying the foundation for a coordinated surveillance platform that will strengthen global vaccine safety and enhance preparedness for future epidemics and pandemics.
Projects like INNOVATE reflect what DCVMN believes in: equitable access to vaccines depends on building bridges between vaccine manufacturers in developing countries and the systems that support them. Regulatory harmonisation, shared surveillance infrastructure, and stronger safety evidence are not separate goals. Together, they uphold safety, streamline the time from development to delivery, and bring vaccines faster to the communities that need them most.
Our sincere thanks to all investigators, partners, and country teams for their engagement and commitment, and to CEPI for the continued support that makes this work possible. We look forward to the next phase of Project INNOVATE and to the impact it will bring to communities worldwide.
