WHO working group meeting to develop WHO Recommendations to assure the quality, safety and efficacy of enterovirus 71 vaccines

Enterovirus A71 (EV71) is one of the major causative agents of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), and is sometimes associated with severe central nervous system syndromes. Vaccines against EV71 infection have been developed or are in development in several countries and few have been licensed in China. In response to requests from some of these countries, WHO convened a working group meeting in Shanghai China from 11 to 12 September 2019 to develop WHO Recommendations to assure the quality, safety and efficacy of EV71 vaccines. Meeting participants included members of the drafting group, experts from vaccine developers, manufacturers, regulators and academia. The epidemiology of EV71, as well as the development, regulation and standardization of EV71 vaccines were reviewed in the meeting. Information on R&D, manufacturing, quality control and standardization of EV71 vaccines was presented by vaccine developers, manufacturers and regulators. Based on their experience, the working group discussed the main principles that would determine WHO’s position on quality, safety and efficacy of EV71 vaccines. The working group agreed to develop WHO Recommendations to assure the quality, safety and efficacy of inactivated EV71 vaccines with a scope covering only whole virus inactivated vaccines. Other type of vaccines, such as EV71 virus-like particles (VLPs) will not be covered as they are still at the developmental stage. The outline of the document was agreed and will follow the usual style of WHO recommendations. It was also agreed to submit the draft Recommendations for review and adoption to the WHO ECBS in 2020 following discussion at a WHO informal consultation, which will include NRAs and vaccine manufacturers.