The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is an nonprofit International Organization IVI, through its mission to discover, develop and deliver safe, effective and affordable vaccines, enables the world's most vulnerable people to live full, productive lives by accelerating R&D for crucial vaccines with partners in the Republic of Korea, across Asia, and around the world. IVI was founded on the belief that the health of children in developing countries can be dramatically improved by the use of new and improved vaccines. Working in collaboration with the international scientific community, public health organizations, governments, and industry, IVI is involved in all areas of the vaccine spectrum – from new vaccine design in the laboratory, to vaccine development and evaluation in the field, to facilitating sustainable introduction of vaccines in countries where they are most needed.Created initially as an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), IVI began formal operations as an independent international organization in 1997 in Seoul, Korea. Currently, IVI has 35 countries and the World Health Organization (WHO) as signatories and/or state parties to its Establishment Agreement. The Institute has a unique mandate to work exclusively on vaccine development and introduction specifically for people in developing countries, with a focus on neglected diseases affecting these regions.