What Centro de Vacunación e Investigación does

Centro de Vacunación e Investigación, S.A. (doing business as Cevaxin) is a Panama-headquartered contract research organization founded in 2013 to run clinical studies of vaccine-preventable and related infectious diseases. The company operates five sites across Panama — three in Panama City plus Chorrera and David/Chiriquí — staffed by more than 200 research professionals and has conducted over 40 clinical studies enrolling more than 25,000 (later cited 21,400+) participants, with work published in peer-reviewed journals including The Lancet. Its core activity is Phase 1–4 trial execution for human vaccines, expanded more recently into oncology, respiratory disease, medical devices, and real-world evidence generation.

The business operates a fee-for-service CRO model: sponsors fund specific trials and Cevaxin provides site infrastructure, regulatory liaison (including MINSA oversight), ICH-GCP-compliant monitoring, and increasingly mobile-enabled pharmacovigilance workflows. Sponsors documented in the materials include Takeda, AstraZeneca, Merck, and Sanofi Pasteur; institutional partners include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, PATH, WHO/PAHO, and Panama's SENACYT. The company's most internationally visible contribution was as a clinical site for nOPV2 evaluations that supported WHO Emergency Use Listing in November 2020, recognized by the GHTC in 2024.

Cevaxin is a privately held Panamanian corporation with no disclosed funding rounds, revenue figures, or institutional investors. Strategic direction is shaped by a public-sector, global-health orientation co-existing with commercial pharma demand — a duality that both diversifies income sources and ties growth to donor funding cycles. The August 2025 appointment of Dr. Gabrielle Britton as Executive Director (with Dr. Rodrigo DeAntonio transitioning to the board) marks the next phase of governance for the organization.

Name

Centro de Vacunación e Investigación

Legal name

Centro de Vacunación e Investigación, S.A.

Website

https://cevaxin.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Cevaxin is a Panama-based contract research organization operating five sites with 200+ professionals, executing Phase 1–4 vaccine and infectious-disease clinical trials for global pharmaceutical sponsors and global-health organizations including the Gates Foundation, PATH, and WHO/PAHO.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Vaccine Clinical Development & Regulatory Affairs (HLAIAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Clinical Development & Regulatory for Vaccines (trials, pharmacovigilance, lot release) (HLAAAEAK), Clinical Research & Trial Central Laboratories (HLAFAMAL), Vaccine-Preventable Disease Surveillance & Coverage Monitoring (HLAJABAK)

Keywords

• Clinical research services
• Vaccine clinical trials
• Epidemiological studies
• Contract research organization
• Pharmacovigilance reporting

Headquarters

HQ city

Ciudad De Panamá

HQ country

Panama

HQ region

Latin America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Clinical Trial Services for Sponsors: Cevaxin conducts Phase 1-4 clinical trials for pharmaceutical sponsors, biotech companies, and international health organizations. Revenue is derived from service contracts for study execution, participant recruitment, data collection, and regulatory compliance. Over 15 national and international sponsors have engaged Cevaxin for clinical studies.
2. Public Health Research Grants: Cevaxin receives grant funding from organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and SENACYT to support epidemiological and public health research, including polio eradication studies and COVID-19 vaccine development.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Centro de Vacunación e Investigación (Cevaxin) is a clinical research organization that conducts Phase 1-4 clinical and epidemiological trials for vaccine-preventable diseases across five sites in Panama. The organization serves pharmaceutical sponsors, biotech companies, and international health organizations by providing study execution, participant recruitment, data collection, and regulatory compliance services. Cevaxin has completed over 40 clinical studies with 25,000+ participants covering diseases such as Influenza, Poliomyelitis, Dengue, RSV, and COVID-19.

Product overview

Cevaxin is a clinical research center offering integrated research services across multiple therapeutic areas. The core offering consists of clinical trial services (Phases 1-4), epidemiological studies, and real-world evidence generation, with specialization in vaccine-preventable diseases. The portfolio includes dedicated services for Vaccines, Pharma, Oncology, Devices, and Real World Evidence research. With five sites in Panama and over 200 professionals, the company provides end-to-end clinical research capabilities for sponsors seeking to conduct vaccine and pharmaceutical research in Latin America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clinical Research Services
• Vaccine Development Research
• Epidemiological Studies
• Real World Evidence
• Oncology Clinical Trials - Early Phases
• Medical Devices Research Services

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 90% of children in polio vaccine study achieved full protection from a single dose of high-dose inactivated vaccine vs. 75% with conventional trivalent inactivated vaccine
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association of Medical Students of the University of Panama (AEMP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023Cevaxin renewed its agreement with AEMP for the second consecutive year to promote scientific research among medical students and develop projects on vaccine-preventable diseases and public health. This partnership supports the REDES program (Renewing Health Education), a training initiative for future researchers and soft skills development.
• Atenas FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Cevaxin signed a cooperation agreement with Atenas Foundation, a non-profit NGO established since 2003, for the promotion, education, and scientific and technological cooperation. Atenas Foundation focuses on informing and supporting people with autoimmune diseases and individual physical, psychological, and emotional development.
• Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta TecnologíacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2020In July 2020, Cevaxin entered a consortium agreement with this institute to pursue COVID-19 vaccine development, focusing on the clinical development of a new vaccine to counteract the effects of COVID-19 and forge a more resistant human immune response.
• PATH (Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020PATH collaborated with Cevaxin on the clinical trials for the new oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2). Dr. John Konz, global director of viral diseases at PATH's Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, received the GHTC award on behalf of partners who contributed to nOPV2 development.
• Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners (WHO, UNICEF, Rotary, CDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Cevaxin has contributed data and research to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, led by WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International, and the U.S. CDC since 1988. Cevaxin's polio vaccine studies have supported the initiative's goal of total polio eradication.
• Global Research of Infectious Diseases (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Researchers from the Global Research of Infectious Diseases in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil participated in the polio vaccination research study led by Cevaxin and Panamanian scientists, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Center for Vaccinology, Ghent, BelgiumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014The Center for Vaccinology in Ghent, Belgium was part of the international research team contributing to the Cevaxin-led polio vaccination study in Panama.
• Instituto de Pós-Graduação Carlos Chagas, Rio de JaneirominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014The Instituto de Pós-Graduação Carlos Chagas in Rio de Janeiro participated as a research partner in the Cevaxin-led polio vaccination study.
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014The U.S. CDC participated as a research partner in the Cevaxin-led polio vaccination study, contributing to global polio eradication efforts.
• The Panama CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Panama Clinic serves as one of Cevaxin's five research sites in Panama, providing clinical facilities for conducting vaccine trials and epidemiological studies.
• University of Panama (School of Medicine)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCevaxin collaborates with the Clinical Research Center of the School of Medicine at the University of Panama for the REDES program, research methodology workshops, and scientific conferences, supporting the development of future researchers.
• Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí (UAM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUAM is listed as a partner institution, contributing to Cevaxin's regional academic and research network in Panama.
• Universidad de Istmo (UDI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUDI is listed as a partner institution, contributing to Cevaxin's academic and research network.
• Ciudad del Saber (City of Knowledge)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCiudad del Saber, a center for innovation located in Panama, is listed as a partner, contributing to the ecosystem supporting Cevaxin's research activities.
• Panamanian College of PhysicianscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Panamanian College of Physicians collaborates with Cevaxin on the REDES program and scientific conferences, supporting research training and professional development.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Parexel: Large global CRO with vaccine and infectious disease expertise, operating across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Comparable core offering to Cevaxin but at global scale and with deeper therapeutic-area specialization.
• ICON plc: Global CRO providing Phase 1-4 clinical research services including vaccine trials. Comparable to Cevaxin in core service offering but with worldwide site network and full-service capabilities that Cevaxin cannot match.
• IQVIA: World's largest CRO with global vaccine clinical development capabilities across all phases and geographies. Competes with Cevaxin for multinational sponsor business but operates at vastly greater scale and therapeutic breadth.
• Medpace: Mid-to-large global CRO with strong vaccine and infectious disease expertise. Competes with Cevaxin for vaccine sponsor contracts while offering global site coverage and integrated bioanalytical lab services.
• Charles River Laboratories: Global CRO and preclinical services provider with vaccine and biologics development capabilities. Comparable to Cevaxin's research services focus but with significantly broader discovery-to-commercialization footprint.
• PPD (Thermo Fisher Scientific): Global CRO acquired by Thermo Fisher, offering comprehensive vaccine clinical development and laboratory services. Directly competes with Cevaxin for international pharmaceutical and biotech sponsor business.
• Syneos Health: Global biopharmaceutical solutions organization offering clinical development and commercial services including vaccine trials. Competes with Cevaxin for sponsor contracts across multiple geographies and therapeutic areas.

Regional players

• Centro de Estudios en Infectología Pediátrica (CEIP): Colombia-based pediatric infectious disease research center conducting vaccine clinical trials in Latin America. Regional peer to Cevaxin with similar focus on vaccine-preventable diseases in pediatric populations.

Direct peers

• endPoints: Latin American network of clinical research centers operating in Panama, Colombia, and Guatemala. Directly comparable to Cevaxin as a regional vaccine and infectious disease CRO, and shares former Cevaxin Executive Director Dr. Rodrigo DeAntonio in a senior leadership role.

Others

• PATH: Global non-profit focused on health innovation including vaccine development (nOPV2). Functions as both a key Cevaxin partner and an adjacent ecosystem player in the same vaccine research value chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/@cevaxin_pty
• Xx.com/cevaxin_pty

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Centro de Vacunación e Investigación