In support of efforts to have safe and effective diagnostics, treatments and vaccines ready for distribution before the next pandemic strikes, WHO launched today, together with partners, research and development roadmaps for 10 groups or viruses and bacteria.
The roadmaps were launched at an event, co-hosted by ANRS Emerging Infectious Diseases, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the World Health Organization (WHO), and partners held during the One Health Summit in Lyon, France.
The event highlighted how a One Health and Pathogen Family-based approach can strengthen epidemic and pandemic preparedness, including through WHO's Collaborative Open Research Consortia (CORCs), which bring together global research communities around priority viral families and core bacterial threats.
"CORCs are turning global scientific collaboration for pandemics into a more durable decentralized and inclusive R&D preparedness architecture," said Dr Sylvie Briand, Chief Scientist of WHO. "By organizing efforts around pathogen families and embedding One Health, we can better anticipate risks and accelerate the R&D of countermeasures before the next crisis. "WHO thanks the CORC leads for their invaluable scientific leadership and for coordinating the development of the Family R&D Roadmaps that we are launching today."
Partners emphasized the importance of translating the Family R&D research roadmaps released today into concrete actions, to support faster responses to emerging threats, and even to meetCEPI's goal of developing safe and effective vaccines in as little as 100 days.
"We don't know what the next pandemic threat will be, or when it will strike," said Dr Richard Hatchett, Chief Executive Officer at CEPI. "That's why focusing on entire pathogen families can help us stay ahead of both known risks and emerging threats. That concept is at the heart of CEPI's work, which aligns with and supports the World Health Organization CORCs. CEPI actively feeds into the CORC's roadmaps to advance collaboration and target the viral families most likely to spark a pandemic, turning R&D priorities into real-world plans that stop outbreaks early."
The event also showcased work led by ANRS Maladies infectieuses émergentes on the filoviridae family, illustrating how national and regional leadership can reinforce global preparedness.
"France is committed to advancing pandemic preparedness through science, solidarity and long-term partnership," said Professor Yazdan Yazdanpanah, Director of ANRS Maladies infectieuses émergentes. "Work on entire pathogen families that global institutions are leading, among which the filoviridae roadmap coordinated by ANRS MIE, shows how national efforts can contribute to stronger international capacity to detect threats earlier and prepare more effectively."
The CORCs Leads and other speakers at the event called for sustained political commitment, financing and international cooperation to maintain momentum behind One Health-informed R&D roadmaps and their implementation in countries and regions worldwide.
Additional information
About the Family R&D Roadmaps
Each CORC has led the development of Family-specific research and development roadmaps through structured scientific OPEN consultations covering pathogen biology, animal reservoirs and vectors, epidemiology and surveillance, basic and translational research, medical countermeasure development with regulatory considerations, and evaluation of candidate medical countermeasures in outbreak or pandemic contexts.
Find here the links to each of the Family R&D Roadmaps
The Collaborative Open Research Consortia (CORCs)
To implement the pathogen-family prioritization approach to epidemic and pandemic preparedness, WHO and several leading research institutions worldwide have launched the Collaborative Open Research Consortia (CORC) as international research network of networks organized around priority pathogen families. Each CORC is coordinated by leading institutions acting as hubs and conveners.
These consortia represent a major progress in the scientific approach, shifting from a centralized, pathogen-specific model to a decentralized, collaborative framework designed to anticipate emerging threats and accelerate the research and development of medical countermeasures.
The CORC are the primary mechanism for developing and executing the R&D Roadmaps. They provide a structured way to close major knowledge gaps across regions and science disciplines. The governance structure of CORC, especially their emphasis on open and equitable participation and representation, offers reflections for the design of more inclusive and transparent mechanisms.
The CORC, hosted by public institutions worldwide already involve thousands of scientists and stakeholders across the globe, and exemplifies a non-extractive, partnership-based approach that supports the principles underpinning the Pandemic Agreement aims.
ANRS Maladies infectieuses émergentes (ANRS MIE)
A French national agency dedicated to research on HIV, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections and emerging infectious diseases. Hosted by Inserm, it supports and coordinates multidisciplinary research, fosters international collaborations and contributes to strengthening scientific and operational preparedness for epidemics and pandemics, including through work on pathogen family roadmaps and One Health–oriented approaches.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)
CEPI is a global partnership between public, private, philanthropic and civil organizations. Its mission is to accelerate the development of vaccines and other biologic countermeasures against epidemic and pandemic threats so they can be accessible to all people in need. Central to CEPI's pandemic-beating plan is the '100 Days Mission' – its goal to develop safe, effective and accessible vaccines against new threats in just 100 days. CEPI is seeking US$2.5 billion to execute CEPI 3.0, its 2027-2031 strategy, which will systematically reduce the likelihood, impact and cost of epidemics and pandemics by driving the 100 Days Mission towards an operational reality.
The World Health Organization (WHO)
The WHO is the specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for directing and coordinating international health within the UN system, working with Member States and partners to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats, strengthen health systems, and advance universal health coverage and health equity worldwide. It develops global norms and standards, provides technical guidance, and supports countries to build resilient capacities for epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response.
Current list of CORCs (as of March 2026)
Arenaviridae
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
