Modern vaccinology enables rapid “intelligent manufacturing” of vaccines for emerging infectious diseases: insight from the vaccine development during the Mpox outbreak
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Throughout the relentless struggle between humanity and disease, vaccines have remained a steadfast shield safeguarding life and health. From ancient practices like variolation of material from smallpox lesions in China or vaccination of cowpox material in the West to the rapid advancements in modern vaccinology and the innovative integration of artificial intelligence (AI), vaccine development has evolved from its rudimentary beginnings to a phase of accelerated progress. However, in today’s densely populated and highly interconnected world, the frequency of human-to-human and human-to-nature interactions has escalated to unprecedented levels. This has led to an increased occurrence of emerging and re-emerging viral infectious diseases, with viruses spreading more rapidly and extensively than ever before. In recent years, viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, the influenza virus, and the monkeypox virus (twice declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, PHEIC) have posed unprecedented challenges to global health and have raised the bar for modern vaccine development in terms of safety, efficacy, and accessibility. Meanwhile, the rise of emerging technologies such as AI has introduced transformative capabilities to vaccine development, propelling the field into a new era of “intelligent manufacturing”. By leveraging a comprehensive understanding of immune responses induced by viruses and conducting in-depth analyses of viral virology and epidemiology characteristics—including transmission patterns, geographic distribution, high-risk populations, region of vaccine deployment, and required production capacities—we can tailor personalized strategies for diverse viral vaccine developments in terms of immunogen design, adjuvant development, vaccine platform, and delivery system selection. This precise and efficient vaccine development framework, “smart manufacturing”, not only enables rapid responses to emerging viral challenges but also facilitates the creation of safer, more potent, and more accessible novel vaccines against potential future outbreaks of “Disease X”. This paper outlines the historical evolution of vaccinology, proposes the development direction of modern vaccinology in the AI era—focusing on the rapid “intelligent manufacturing” of vaccines tailored to emerging pathogens—and examines the opportunities and challenges in this field. Using the development and limitations of novel vaccine development during the mpox outbreak as a case study, the paper explores the potential of rapid “intelligent manufacturing” in addressing future public health crises.
DOI: 10.1360/tb-2024-1387
Authors: Tingting Zheng, Han Wang, Qihui Wang
Language: English
Subfield: Virology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4407312401