Representatives from the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Public Health England (PHE), CEPI (the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations), BNITM (Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin), Irrua Specialist Hospital (ISTH), Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Consortium (VHFC) and FIND met for the first time to discuss this novel approach to standards development.

By bringing together experts in biological standardization and Lassa Fever research to co-ordinate the early production of antigen and antibody standards, the programme aims to accelerate the delivery of vaccines for this high priority pathogen, which causes an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 infections, and approximately 5,000 deaths each year.