Webinar: Use of Reference Standards in the Transition from In Vivo to In Vitro Methods for Vaccine Release Testing 

Teams / 12:00-14:00 CET
7th October 2026

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Biological Reference Materials (BRM) Webinar Series – Three-Part Webinar Series 

Purpose of the Webinar Series 

The purpose of this webinar series is to increase awareness and practical understanding of biological reference materials and their role in supporting the transition from in vivo to in vitro methods for vaccine release testing. This webinar series will present the following: 

  • Case studies that illustrate how reference standards can support implementation of in vitro methods across different vaccine products and technologies 
  • Regulatory expectations during method transitions 
  • Real-world examples on the use of appropriate reference standards, including guidance for situations where no reference standard or material yet exists 

Series Overview  

The series is designed to move participants from foundational concepts to applied examples, connecting regulatory expectations with practical approaches for adopting in vitro methods in vaccine release testing. Webinar 1 introduces core principles and regulatory considerations, illustrated through DTaP and Hepatitis B examples. Webinar 2 focuses on reference material lifecycle management and transition planning, using Rabies and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) case studies. Webinar 3 examines the use of reference viruses for next-generation sequencing- (NGS) based adventitious virus detection. 

Webinar 1 – October 7, 2026, 12:00-14:00 CET 

Draft Agenda

Time Topic / Session Speaker(s) / Notes 
5 min Welcome and Introduction Janette Turner, Humane World for Animals 
15 min Current Regulatory Expectations  Dean Smith, Health Canada 
15 min Setting the Scene: Reference Standards in the In Vivo to In Vitro Transition Paul Stickings, MHRA 
30 min A Step-By-Step Approach to Transition from In Vivo to In Vitro Potency Testing Blaise Descampe 
30 min Industry Perspective: DTaP Potency Testing Transition Emmanuelle Coppens, Sanofi 
20 min Q&A with all speakers  Moderated by Humane World for Animals 
5 min Closing Remarks & Preview of Webinar 2 Janette Turner, Humane World for Animals