As the race to develop a vaccine and a therapy for Covid-19 hots up, the Billion Molecules Against COVID-19 Global GrandChallenge – organised by the Joint European Disruptive Initiative (JEDI) – kicked off on 4 May. At the same time, the EU – in co-operation with France, Germany, the UK, Norway and Saudi Arabia – has launched a massive fund-raising marathon. The purpose of it is twofold: to accelerate the development and deployment of tests, treatments and vaccines, and to ensure that as many players as possible undertake to make them accessible to all countries. And the EU is thinking big money, as always, it raised no less than €7.4 billion in initial funding.
How will we all access vaccines?
Although the ambition of this EU fundraising is laudable, the problem of the distribution of the vaccine to the whole world needs to be better analysed. Pharma players capable of producing the right scale of doses are rare.
In recent weeks, partnerships have multiplied between large laboratories to increase their production capacities: American biotech company Moderna and the Swiss drugmaker Lonza Group aim for a billion doses per year.
The British pharma company AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford hope to be able to supply 100 million doses before the end of the year. The American Inovio Pharmaceuticals and the German Richter-Helm Biologics have joined forces for the same purpose, as well as arch-rivals Sanofi (French) and GlaxoSmithKline (English).
But even more than the question of when and by whom a vaccine will be discovered – and the German minister of health recently stated this would not happen soon – the major challenge for humanity is the quantity of doses that can be produced and the accessibility of these doses.
Developing a vaccine also creates a possibility of returning to normal economic activity without the fear of a ’second wave’.
However, if tests conducted by American laboratories are successful, it is likely that the vaccines will go first to the American population.
What is already problematic for Europe is likely to prove disastrous for countries that have neither infrastructure, financial means nor the manpower of Western countries. The slow and expensive vaccine manufacturing process could strategically promote inequality.
A need for collective action
Tackling the challenge to ensure massive production and equitable distribution requires collective action. The World Bank and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations are working on the matter of financing. But the question of transforming production processes to make them more efficient is also crucial.
The slow and expensive vaccine manufacturing process could strategically promote inequality
Intensifying the process of developing a vaccine is a possible approach, with the aim of minimising the equipment and space used. This would reduce both cost and risk and create the potential to produce the drug anywhere in the world.
Several players are already working on this idea, such as the Belgian-based Univercells and the Dutch company Batavia Pharma, but also the pharmaceutical companies Janssen and Merck, as well as the technology and service provider Cytiva. But there are numerous obstacles on the way and we need to face these scientific and industrial frontiers.
Funding is not the only solution
If the EU wishes to rise to the challenge it has launched, funding the design and production of vaccines and treatments will not be enough.
Let us use this historic and planetary crisis to imagine solutions that are both scientifically robust and radically new to develop and produce them: distributed production and 3D printing, for instance, or bringing leading scientists together and new capabilities brought by high performance computing, machine learning and molecular biology to screen billions of molecules to fight coronavirus, as we have done at the Joint European Disruptive Initiative, a unique and promising approach.
Creativity is essential
We need to fast-track drug discovery by having even better qualified compounds enter clinical trials, compounds that could be correlated by teams from across the globe. We need to tap into collective intelligence, be creative, to experiment, push the limits of science and technology and be creative.
The sovereignty of nations is as much at stake as equal access to health throughout the world. Indeed, if the coronavirus currently is monopolising our attention, it would be absurd not to prepare today for another epidemic. The number of pathogens with pandemic potential are many and some have much higher mortality rates than the coronavirus.
To get out of the current tragedy and not be at the same point when the next disease strikes, we must take seriously the call to the Europeans by the poet and writer Paul Valery: "Well, what are you going to do? What are you going to do today?"
Andre Loesekrug-Pietri is executive director of the Joint European Disruptive Initiative
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
Read more about the coronavirus
More coverage from the Future Forum
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
SERIES INFO
Afghanistan v Zimbabwe, Abu Dhabi Sunshine Series
All matches at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Test series
1st Test: Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan by 10 wickets
2nd Test: Wednesday, 10 March – Sunday, 14 March
Play starts at 9.30am
T20 series
1st T20I: Wednesday, 17 March
2nd T20I: Friday, 19 March
3rd T20I: Saturday, 20 March
TV
Supporters in the UAE can watch the matches on the Rabbithole channel on YouTube
SQUADS
Bangladesh (from): Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mahmudullah Riyad, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Taijul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain, Nayeem Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadat Hossain, Abu Jayed
Afghanistan (from): Rashid Khan (capt), Ihsanullah Janat, Javid Ahmadi, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Nabi, Qais Ahmad, Sayed Ahmad Shirzad, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zahir Khan Pakteen, Afsar Zazai, Shapoor Zadran
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now
The specs: 2017 Lotus Evora Sport 410
Price, base / as tested Dh395,000 / Dh420,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 410hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque 420Nm @ 3,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.7L / 100km
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Women%E2%80%99s%20Asia%20Cup
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The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.4-inch IPS LCD, 400 nits, toughened glass
CPU: Unisoc T610; Mali G52 GPU
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 64GB, up to 512GB microSD
Camera: 8MP rear, 5MP front
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 3.5mm audio
Battery: 8200mAh, up to 10 hours video
Platform: Android 11
Audio: Stereo speakers, 2 mics
Durability: IP52
Biometrics: Face unlock
Price: Dh849
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Bio
Born in Dubai in 1994
Her father is a retired Emirati police officer and her mother is originally from Kuwait
She Graduated from the American University of Sharjah in 2015 and is currently working on her Masters in Communication from the University of Sharjah.
Her favourite film is Pacific Rim, directed by Guillermo del Toro
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
WISH
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'Hocus%20Pocus%202'
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More from Armen Sarkissian
The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
Poacher
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If you go
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates.
The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.
When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season
