Our team

IVB’s Product and Delivery Research (PDR) unit aims to accelerate development and evidence-based use of vaccines against pathogens with significant disease and economic burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

PDR seeks to identify and respond to the research priorities and needs of immunization programmes in LMICs, to inform the global vaccine R&D agenda, and to strategically advance development and uptake of priority vaccines.  PDR also monitors the landscape of technologies with applications to immunization, including monoclonal antibodies, novel manufacturing technologies and delivery innovations, and generates evidence-based prioritization of these platforms for vaccine R&D. PDR collaborates with other units at WHO and with external stakeholders to position pipeline candidates and technologies for licensure, policy and uptake.

The long-term strategy of PDR is aligned with the 10-year strategy of the Immunization Agenda 2030, particularly strategic priority 7: vaccine research and innovation.

How we work

PDR works through global convenings and formation of expert working groups to generate consensus on issues related to R&D priorities and vaccine product development strategies.  It seeks to understand and convey the needs of end-users in high burden contexts and ensure that vaccines are appropriately designed for use.  While it tends to engage with product developers and immunization stakeholders in early clinical development, it has a line of sight to the data ad evidence that will be needed for global policy recommendation, working closely with the  Product Development for Vaccines Advisory Committee (PDVAC).

Initiatives, Forums and Working Groups

Global Vaccine and Immunization Research Forum

The Forum brings together researchers, public health professionals and other key stakeholders to discuss progress, challenges and future strategic directions in vaccine development and implementation research.

Working Groups

Burden of Enteric Diseases Morbidity Working Group provides technical guidance to WHO IVB to evaluate the burden of long-term morbidity associated with enteric infections.

Measles and Rubella Microarray Patches (MR-MAP) Working Group provides technical guidance to WHO IVB to identify opportunities to expedite the development of MR-MAPs, a critical vaccine delivery innovation needed to eradicate measles and rubella. 

Vaccines against AMR Working Group provides technical guidance to WHO IVB to identify workstreams needed to facilitate the assessment, articulation and communication of value of vaccines against antimicrobial resistance.

RSV vaccine and mAbs working group provides technical advice to guide WHO’s activities and to assist in the evaluation of new data relevant to its work related to RSV preventive strategies, including vaccines and passive immunization with RSV monoclonal antibodies.

HIV vaccines and mAbs working group provides technical advice to WHO related to the development of HIV vaccines and monoclonal antibodies.

Product Development for Vaccines Advisory Committee

Prioritization and research agenda setting is conducted through the independent advice of the Product Development for Vaccines advisory committee (PDVAC). Established in 2014, PDVAC is an independent standing WHO committee of experts which provides external advice to WHO’s Department on Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals (IVB) related to vaccine and antibody candidates for infectious diseases, generally at the Phase 2 stage of clinical evaluation or earlier.

Dr Martin Howell Friede

Unit Head of the Product & Delivery Research team (PDR) for the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals.