World Vaccine Congress 2026: Antibody Innovation in Full Bloom

Kirsty recently attended the World Vaccine Congress 2026 (WVC 2026) in Washington, DC, perfectly timed with the city’s famous cherry blossoms in full bloom. The setting provided a striking backdrop to a dynamic and thought-provoking meeting focused on the future of vaccines and antibody therapeutics.

A highlight of the conference was the workshop day on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in infectious disease, which sparked engaging discussions across a range of topics. Particularly notable were advances in:

• Lyme disease, where long-acting, single-dose antibodies targeting transmission in ticks are emerging as a promising preventative strategy
• RSV, continuing to demonstrate the real-world impact of mAbs in infectious disease prevention
• Multispecific antibodies and antibody cocktails, offering improved breadth and resilience against pathogen variation

An interesting feature of the meeting was the ability to run multiple sessions simultaneously via headsets, creating a unique “silent disco” atmosphere as delegates tuned into different talks while sharing the same physical space.

During the conference, I also presented our latest work on RH5 malaria vaccine candidates, showcasing how we are using the Carterra LSA platform to assess epitope retention. This approach enables detailed mapping of antibody binding profiles and supports the selection of vaccine candidates that maintain key protective epitopes.

Overall, WVC 2026 provided valuable insights into the rapidly evolving landscape of antibody therapeutics, alongside excellent opportunities for scientific exchange and collaboration.