The University of Antwerp officially opened yesterday its brand new test center for vaccine candidates “Vaccinopolis” on its Drie Eiken Campus. The Minister of Public Health, Frank Vandenbroucke, was present for the occasion.
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Vaccinopolis is a facility that will be used to test and evaluate, in collaboration with the Institute of Tropical Diseases, candidate vaccines for all kinds of infectious diseases. The goal is to accelerate the fight against all diseases, existing or future. Research will also be conducted to improve flu serums.
“This center puts Belgium on the world map”
“This center puts Belgium on the world map. Together with our partners, we are building an innovative ecosystem for the fight against pandemics”, commented the vaccinologist from the University of Antwerp, Pierre Van Damme.
An emergency, according to the initiators of the project. The climate is changing, density is increasing, we are traveling more frequently and we are living longer. These developments contribute to the acceleration of virus transmission.
There is no such center of this size in Europe. What makes it unique is the ability to conduct CHIM (Controlled Human Infection Model) studies, where a reduced dose of the virus is administered after the subject has been vaccinated.
“What a ship! »
“What a ship! The material means are there! It is a step forward, there was no center of this capacity. The industry was demanding, the State too. Because it must be said that there will be enormous economic interests at stake, beyond the purely scientific interest”, declared to Free infectiologist Yves Van Laethem during the inauguration.
What is it about ?
The purpose of Vaccinopolis is to host clinical trials. Against payment, volunteers will be able to test candidate vaccines there and this, in several phases of their development. The center will mainly host clinical trials in phase 3, the one that verifies the effectiveness of vaccines. It has about thirty rooms. Each one is secure and has a disinfection airlock. The goal is to avoid any rejection of the virus to the outside.
The first tests that will take place at Vaccinopolis will concern a new vaccine candidate for whooping cough.
