WHO Adds MERS-CoV Isolate to Global BioHub System to Boost Pandemic Preparedness and Research Collaboration

MERS-CoV is one of three major coronaviruses—alongside SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2—that have emerged in the past two decades with pandemic potential.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has added an isolate of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) to its BioHub System, marking a significant step forward in global pandemic preparedness, scientific cooperation, and equitable access to high-impact pathogens. MERS-CoV is one of three major coronaviruses—alongside SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2—that have emerged in the past two decades with pandemic potential.

A Milestone for Global Pathogen Sharing

The WHO BioHub System was established during the COVID-19 pandemic under the leadership of the WHO Director-General, to enable the safe, transparent, and rapid sharing of biological materials with epidemic or pandemic potential among countries, laboratories, and research institutions.

Through the BioHub, participating countries voluntarily share and request biological materials, such as virus isolates, under standardized legal and biosafety agreements. The system supports pathogen characterization, surveillance, and research, and in the future will facilitate the development of diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics.

Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, Acting Director of WHO’s Epidemic and Pandemic Management Department, emphasized the significance of this addition:

“Since its identification, outbreaks caused by MERS-CoV have been sporadic. As such, MERS-CoV isolates have been challenging to obtain, making it all the more important that the WHO BioHub System provides researchers with access to this virus isolate. By supporting timely and transparent sharing of biological materials, the BioHub helps the world prepare for epidemics and, potentially, pandemics.”

Understanding MERS-CoV: A Persistent Threat

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was first identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. It is a zoonotic virus, transmitted between dromedary camels and humans, and occasionally spreads from person to person. The infection can cause severe respiratory illness, often leading to pneumonia, organ failure, or death. The virus carries an alarming fatality rate of around 37% in reported cases.

There are currently no approved vaccines or therapeutics for MERS-CoV. Preventive measures rely on surveillance, early detection, and control of infections in both animal and human populations.

Most research to date has focused on clade A isolates, which are believed to have become extinct since 2015. The newly added BioHub isolate—derived from a camel in Africa—belongs to clade C, which remains prevalent among camel populations across the continent. This addition provides researchers with access to a genetically distinct and currently circulating variant, improving the ability to study virus evolution, transmission, and immune responses.

Enhancing Global Preparedness Through Collaboration

Recent global health crises, including COVID-19 and mpox (monkeypox), have underscored the urgent need for fair, rapid, and reliable pathogen sharing to accelerate outbreak response and scientific discovery. The WHO BioHub System offers a trusted, standardized, and scalable framework that minimizes administrative burdens while maintaining biosafety and biosecurity standards.

The BioHub’s guiding principles—equity, transparency, and collaboration—ensure that all participants benefit from shared scientific progress. It fosters joint research, co-authorship, and data-sharing between provider and recipient laboratories, thereby promoting inclusivity and recognition for scientific contributions from all regions.

Since its launch, 76 laboratories from 30 countries across all WHO regions have engaged in the BioHub System. It has already supported global responses to major public health emergencies by facilitating access to SARS-CoV-2 variants during COVID-19 and mpox virus clades (Ia, Ib, IIb) during the 2023–2024 outbreak. These efforts enabled rapid diagnostic validation and vaccine research across multiple laboratories worldwide.

Expanding the BioHub’s Global Network

Currently, the Spiez Laboratory in Switzerland serves as the central WHO BioHub Facility, responsible for receiving, characterizing, storing, and distributing pathogen materials. However, WHO’s vision extends further—plans are underway to establish additional BioHub Facilities in each WHO region, ensuring that all countries have equitable access to biological materials and research capabilities.

This regional expansion will enhance scientific collaboration, biorisk management, and laboratory capacity in lower- and middle-income countries, helping bridge the gap in global health security. It also supports WHO’s overarching goal of building a more decentralized and inclusive global health infrastructure that can respond rapidly to future outbreaks.

A Growing Collection of High-Impact Pathogens

With the inclusion of MERS-CoV, the BioHub’s growing collection now includes:

• 33 SARS-CoV-2 variants (the virus that causes COVID-19)

• Mpox clades Ia, Ib, and IIb

• Oropouche virus, an emerging mosquito-borne disease

• MERS-CoV, the latest addition

These additions demonstrate the BioHub’s expanding capacity to safeguard, study, and distribute biological materials essential for outbreak preparedness and medical innovation.

Building the Foundation for Future Pandemic Readiness

The addition of MERS-CoV to the BioHub represents a vital advancement for both scientific research and global health diplomacy. By promoting open access to verified pathogen isolates, the system helps prevent duplication of research efforts, improves data consistency, and accelerates the development of medical countermeasures.

The BioHub’s collaborative model also ensures that benefits—such as co-publications, intellectual contributions, and technology transfers—are shared equitably among participating countries.

“Timely access to biological materials is essential for science and public health action,” WHO said in a statement. “In an interconnected world where new infectious threats continue to emerge, the BioHub System enables a safer, fairer, and faster response to global health emergencies.”

Looking ahead, the WHO BioHub will continue to evolve as a cornerstone of international cooperation in pathogen sharing, pandemic preparedness, and biosafety excellence—a critical safeguard against the infectious disease threats of the 21st century.