Two infectious disease experts from Houston-based Texas Children's Hospital were recognized among Fast Company's 14th annual list of the most creative people in business.
The list, published Aug. 9, celebrates 56 leaders who've accomplished groundbreaking feats in their industries. Fast Company recognized Maria Elena Bottazzi, PhD, and Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, co-directors of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development at Baylor College of Medicine, for creating the first open-source COVID-19 vaccine.
The vaccine, named Corbevax, is low cost and easy to store, making it an ideal candidate for low- and middle-income countries. Thirty million doses of the vaccine have already been administered in India under an emergency use approval, according to Fast Company.
"We appreciate the recognition of our efforts to begin the long road to 'decolonize' the vaccine development ecosystem and make it more equitable," Dr. Bottazzi said in a news release. "We hope that Corbevax becomes one of a pipeline of new vaccines developed against many neglected and emerging infections that adversely affect global public health."
See the full list of winners here.