New Delhi: Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and former Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization, has called for urgent and sustained investment in tuberculosis (TB) vaccines, particularly for high-burden countries like India.
Speaking at the first day of the World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting during the panel discussion Asia Region TB Vaccine R&D Financing, Dr. Swaminathan emphasised that an effective TB vaccine could save millions of lives and generate significant economic benefits.
Referencing the World Health Organization’s TB vaccine investment case, Dr. Swaminathan explained how a viable vaccine could avert deaths, reduce treatment needs, prevent catastrophic healthcare expenditure, and lead to measurable gains in GDP.
“It’s a continuum—people get infected, some clear it, some develop active disease. But even subclinical TB carries a significant risk of mortality, and the outcomes worsen without early diagnosis or treatment,” she said.
Acknowledging India’s contribution to TB vaccine research, Dr. Swaminathan noted that the overall TB vaccine pipeline remains stagnant, with several candidates stuck in early trial phases for over a decade.
“These candidates neither move forward nor drop off. What we need is decisive action—to either advance them or let them go,” she stated.
She pointed to M72, a promising candidate now in Phase 3 trials with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust, as an example of the high costs and slow timelines that dominate vaccine development.
“It’s a $500 million project. But we cannot afford to spend that amount on every candidate,” Dr. Swaminathan stated, adding that TB trials take years to reach endpoints. “Then comes data analysis, regulatory submissions, and finally, scale-up. That’s the traditional timeline.”
Drawing on her experience with the WHO Solidarity Trial during the COVID-19 pandemic, she explained how digital tools, international collaboration, and adaptive regulatory approaches had helped compress vaccine timelines.
“We had 35 to 40 countries participating, and everything was done online. The cost was negligible. That model can work for TB too,” she said.
Dr. Swaminathan also praised India’s ability to execute large-scale adult vaccination campaigns, as demonstrated during COVID-19. She urged stakeholders to apply similar urgency and innovation in rolling out TB vaccines.
“COVID showed us that timelines can be compressed. I was involved in the Solidarity Trial. It spanned 35–40 countries, was fully digital, and the cost was negligible compared to traditional trials. Vaccine companies contributed doses, doctors volunteered their time, and forms were designed to be completed in minutes—even in busy ICUs. ICMR was involved in that too,” she said.
“Similarly, regulatory agencies came together during COVID. They didn’t take years to assess dossiers. Benchmarks were set. WHO created target product profiles, and global regulators like the FDA and EMA aligned on efficacy and safety standards. Minimum safety data was accepted to proceed, with continued monitoring post-rollout. Manufacturers even scaled up production before final efficacy results were available—governments absorbed that risk,” Dr. Swaminathan added.
India launched the COVID Suraksha programme and invested significantly. So, it’s possible to compress a 10–15-year vaccine development timeline into something much shorter—if the global community aligns.
“Of course, TB is not COVID. Endpoints take longer. But that doesn’t mean we must accept the status quo. We don’t have to wait decades for results.”
Highlighting the inefficiencies in the current system, she advocated for a global mechanism to evaluate and prioritise the most promising TB vaccine candidates. “Right now, companies are very protective of their own candidates. We’re not making the most efficient use of our limited resources.”
She concluded by urging policymakers, global health agencies, and vaccine developers to collaborate, invest, and rethink the way TB vaccines are developed and deployed. “It’s not just about science. It’s about saving lives—and doing it faster.”
