Georgina Ferry interviews Sandy Douglas, Associate Professor (Jenner Institute), 24 February 2022.
Topics discussed include (00:00:19) SD's medical studies and training, clinical medical student in Oxford, project alongside Clinical Foundation Training at the Jenner Institute, followed by a PhD, NHS training and postdoctoral research; (00:01:58) interest in the development of malaria and rabies vaccines, manufacturing process; (00:04:20) development and scale-up of clinical grade adenovirus vaccines at the Clinical BioManufacturing Facility; (00:06:35) Future Vaccine Manufacturing Research Hub; (00:10:55) work with Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Carina Joe on new media; (00:16:19) first awareness of COVID-19, initial communication with Sarah Gilbert, article in The New York Times relating to the 'R value' and fatality rate; (00:21:00) pivot in vaccine development towards Sars-CoV-2, vaccines trialled and deployed for different viruses including Ebola and HIV; (00:27:00) rapid clinical trial design; (00:32:25) routine vaccine scale-up and trials; (00:38:04) manufacturing processes in the context of COVID-19; (00:41:10) scale up of vaccine, communication with the Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre, Cath Green at the Clinical BioManufacturing Facility, Halix, Pall Corporation and Cobra Biologics; (00:48:56) purification process of the adenovirus; (00:50:25) February 2020 plan for scale-up and involvement in departmental briefing, proposals for clinical development programme with Sarah Gilbert and Cath Green; (00:53:00) manufacture of first doses at the Clinical BioManufacturing Facility and later in Italy (Advent Srl), discussions about clinical trials, emergency clinical development and manufacture; (00:55:50) presentation on 26 February 2020 by the vaccine development team; (00:58:20) first meeting on the COVID Vaccine Programme between Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group, planning of Phase I trial; (01:02:10) issues with funding and investment in the vaccine programme, SD's fears for safety of family members; (01:04:50) investment from UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) for Phase I trial and CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations); (01:06:00) calls with various organisations and contract manufacturers relating to the manufacturing process; (01:09:45) SD's personal experiences in March 2020, communication with David Kinder (World Bank) relating to investment by world governments in vaccines, Government Medical Officers Jonathan Van Tam and Patrick Vallance, Ian McCubbin (BIA Vaccine Manufacturing Taskforce), briefings relating to U.K. production of vaccine and requests for funding to scale up the manufacturing process; (01:17:20) contact with Government and funding for scale up of manufacturing and supply. Note: the following section of audio is redacted (01:06:07) to (01:06:24).
