Streptococcus A (Strep A) is a globally important pathogen causing over 500,000 deaths annually. In Aotearoa New Zealand Strep A inequitably effects Māori and Pacific Peoples and there are no licenced vaccines available. ’Rapua te mea ngaro ka tau’ (Rapua) brings together a multidisciplinary team to accelerate Strep A vaccine development for Aotearoa New Zealand, with workstreams focused on enhanced surveillance, community perceptions and clinical trial readiness. Embedded is the expansion of a laboratory dedicated to serological assays equipped with high-specification instruments, and the creation of a dedicated opsonophagocytic killing assay (OPKA) laboratory. The OPKA utilizes HL-60 cells differentiated into neutrophils with exogenous baby rabbit complement to quantify the ability of antibodies to promote phagocytosis and killing of Strep A bacteria, making it a critical tool for evaluating functional antibody responses for future vaccines. Recent key advancements with the OPKA in New Zealand include; 1) demonstration that the assay is reproducible, precise and accurate for sera from multiple species (rabbit, non-human primate and human), 2) application to better understand natural Strep A immune responses in clinical cohorts 3) developing standardised antibody reagents that demonstrate strain-specific killing in the OPKA and 4) establishing dedicated laboratory spaces to meet quality standards required for testing human biological specimens in clinical trials. These advancements lay the foundation for a robust vaccine evaluation platform to support vaccine development.