WHO and Fiocruz launch Collaborative Open Research Consortium on Flaviviruses

The World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Collaborative Open Research Consortium (CORC) on Flaviviruses in partnership with Fiocruz in an online event on Monday (2/24). The CORCs are a new strategy for the organization, through its Research and Development (R&D) Blueprint for Epidemics. By focusing on viral families rather than individual pathogens, CORCs aim to create a more comprehensive approach to tackling future health emergencies.

For each family chosen, a CORC has been set up, bringing together different experts such as research institutions, medical countermeasure developers, and government and regulatory agencies. Fiocruz was invited in the first half of last year to join the global initiative, which seeks to redefine perspectives and structure research and development around viral and bacterial families, coordinating the CORC on Flaviviruses, which covers pathogens linked to dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and West Nile fever.

Paradigm shift

At the launch, the president of Fiocruz, Mario Moreira, thanked the WHO for its trust and stressed that for science to be true and representative, it must ensure that all voices are heard, with fair and equitable access to health. He also highlighted the importance of the initiative in front of around 300 people from different countries who were watching online. "The CORC represents a paradigm shift by adopting a systematic and cross-cutting interdisciplinary approach. We have the opportunity to optimize the research process, accelerate scientific discovery, and improve coordination between global R&D efforts," he said.

Moreira recalled that the change in the epidemiology of Flavivirus infections shows that these diseases are no longer restricted to specific geographical regions, but that socio-economic determinants and systemic inequalities continue to impact vulnerable populations disproportionately. "Addressing these disparities requires a coordinated global response that combines scientific innovation, political action, and equitable health interventions," he said. "Through the CORC, we hope to establish a well-defined and representative roadmap that identifies existing knowledge gaps, investment needs, and priority areas for action. This journey is a collective effort, and we must continue to move forward together, harnessing science, collaboration, and innovation to build a healthier and fairer world for all."

The president of Fiocruz also recalled that the foundation's foundation 125 years ago is linked to the yellow fever epidemic, a disease that has been increasingly claiming victims in Brazil.

At the launch, WHO deputy director-general and WHO Health Emergencies Program executive director, Michael Ryan, highlighted two paths of research. According to him, research into specific pathogens is still necessary, but he made reservations. "We have learned the lesson that if you dig too deep in a certain area, you can miss the main goal," he said. "And when something happens and a pathogen emerges from somewhere else in that family, we may have to go back and reverse our work to follow another path. Therefore, it is very important that we maintain a family-based approach, that our platforms, innovations, and collaborations are as generic as possible, for us to be able to answer a wide range of questions about various elements, but at the same time not be so generic that we do not focus on specific pathogens," he explained.

Ryan also highlighted "the growing influence of Brazilian science and his visit to Fiocruz last year during the G20 meeting." "Seeing what you have done and your work for the region and the world, I cannot think of anyone better to coordinate this particular effort. And that is the essence of the CORC. It is about having that facilitation and creating a platform for everyone to succeed," he added.

The secretary for Health and Environmental Surveillance, Ethel Maciel, congratulated the WHO and Fiocruz on the initiative. She described a complex scenario, with recent epidemics and challenges exacerbated by climate change. The secretary pointed out that the Ministry of Health is working with Fiocruz to increase the production of a vaccine for yellow fever and with the Butantã Institute to develop an immunizer against dengue.

Priority pathogens and prototypes

To explain the priority pathogens, Ana Maria Henao Restrepo, who heads the WHO R&D Blueprint for Epidemics, used a metaphor from Ryan himself. "There are thousands of viruses and bacteria that can infect humans. And 1,600 that could cause an outbreak and perhaps the next pandemic. So how can we prepare? Ryan says that if a drunk loses his keys on a dark street, he starts looking under a lamppost. These are the priority pathogens, the ones we know can cause outbreaks and health emergencies of international concern, and we have to keep working on that," she explained. "But if we want to expand the illuminated area, then we bring in this new concept of prototype pathogens."

According to Restrepo, representative pathogens are selected to serve as guides, as models. They are not chosen for their pandemic potential, but because experts believe that learning about the development of animal models for them could help us advance the development of vaccines and medical countermeasures, or even expand our understanding of how these viruses infect human cells.

"We know that we have an ambitious goal, which is to be better prepared for the next pandemic and to have better medical countermeasures as part of that preparation. And we will do it using a roadmap that will be our way to get there," said Restrepo.

The vice president of Research and Biological Collections (VPPCB/Fiocruz), Maria de Lourdes Oliveira, who is working on structuring the CORC on Flavivirus, emphasized that although the Foundation is leading the way, this is a global initiative. "Fiocruz is not going to set the agenda. We will all together be a relevant initiative by introducing R&D as a crucial part of the prevention, preparedness, and response to epidemics and pandemics," she said, presenting the research that will help shape the initiative and asking participants to share it in their institutions.