Commission invests €225 million to build next-generation protection against influenza

The European Commission is committing €225 million to speed up the development of next-generation flu vaccines that will offer protection across a wider range of influenza variants and will quickly be adapted if a pandemic strain emerges. The funding will support vaccines designed to be easier to administer via the nose, mouth or skin patches and rapidly scaled up in emergencies.

Flu viruses evolve constantly, which means vaccine technology must keep pace. This investment will accelerate vaccine development and strengthen Europe’s ability to respond at scale. Through full clinical development of promising candidates, the EU aims to widen the pipeline, putting more products in development. This increases the chances of novel products making it to the market, and moving from laboratory breakthrough to real-world protection. That means new solutions can reach national vaccination programmes more quickly, providing patient friendly vaccines to help countries respond with greater speed and coordination when outbreaks intensify.

The contracts signed will run for 98 months, covering clinical development through to market authorisation. This marks the first time the Commission is using pre-commercial procurement to advance products through clinical trials, ensuring they meet strict safety, quality and efficacy criteria, while supporting innovations that might otherwise stall without public intervention.

By expanding vaccine production capacity and introducing novel treatments, this investment will help Europe and the world to be better prepared for future influenza outbreaks or pandemics.

Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management, said: “With an EU investment of €225 million - the largest ever dedicated to accelerating access to innovative medical countermeasures - we are advancing the development of next-generation flu vaccines. Innovation is at the heart of preparedness. This funding will unlock cutting-edge technologies, including more accessible and diverse vaccine administration methods, ensuring that effective vaccine options reach underserved and vulnerable groups. This investment also strengthens Europe’s pharmaceutical ecosystem, contributing to its competitiveness, and reinforces our resilience against future health threats.”  

Background

This investment uses a pre-commercial procurement model, which funds research and development under favourable terms to foster a more inclusive market, particularly for SMEs. It covers three phases of pre-commercial procurement, including development of clinical trial phases I, II and III, as well as pre-market development, leading to market authorisation.

These actions are financed by the Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority from the EU4Health programme, and managed by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency.

The contracts have been signed with Nivi Development P/S, Ethris Gmbh, Statens Serum Institut, Vismederi Srl, Stichting European Clinical Research Alliance On Infectious Diseases, Bavarian Nordic As, Evonik Operations Gmbh, Idt Biologika Gmbh, Sanofi Pasteur Sa and Sclavo Vaccines Association.