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Rino Rappuoli

Description

Dr. Rino Rappuoli is Global Head Research and Development at Novartis Vaccines and is based in Siena, Italy. He earned his PhD in Biological Sciences at the University of Siena and has served as visiting scientist at Rockefeller University in New York and Harvard Medical School in Boston. Prior to the present position he was head R&D of Sclavo and then head of vaccine research and Chief Scientific Officer of Chiron Corporation.

Several molecules he worked with became part, or are near to becoming, licensed vaccines. These include: CRM197 used in H.influenzaeN.meningitidis, and pneumococcus vaccines; an acellular vaccine against pertussis containing a genetically detoxified pertussis toxin; the first conjugate vaccine against meningococcus C and later against meningococcus ACYW; the MF59 used in a vaccine against pandemic influenza; and the genome-derived vaccine against meningococcus B for which in November 2012 the European Medicinal Agency recommended the granting of a marketing authorization, the first vaccine to provide broad coverage against meningococcal serogroup B. This was followed by the approval of the European Commission in January 2013. In August 2013 the vaccine was approved by the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) for use in individuals from two months of age and older.  In March 2014 the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation  (JCVI) recommended adding the vaccination to the primary childhood programme.

He was elected member of the US National Academy of Sciences and the European Molecular Biology Organization. Awards conferred include: Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize (1991), the Gold Medal by the Italian President (2005), the Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal (2009), the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute of Human Virology in Maryland (2010), and the Excellence Award from the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (2011). In 2013 he was nominated third most influential person worldwide in the field of vaccines (Terrapin).

ISV Fellow of the Month
Country
Italy