23.05.2025 Launch of the European Vaccines Hub for Pandemic Readiness

New European public-private partnership for public health-relevant vaccine development

Kick-off meeting of the European Vaccines Hub for Pandemic Readiness (EVH) on 22-23 May in Siena, Italy. Coordinated by the Italian NPO Sclavo Vaccines Association, the EVH consortium comprises eleven beneficiaries from seven different countries, including leading EU organizations with national responsibility for pandemic preparedness

The Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) of the European Commission, through the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) supports the establishment of the “European Vaccines Hub for Pandemic Readiness (EVH)”, a pan-European center dedicated to advancing public health-relevant vaccine development. The Grant Agreement has been signed today, marking a transformative step in public-health-relevant vaccine development.  

By integrating excellence in vaccine research, human monoclonal antibody (H-mAbs) development, clinical trials, and scalable manufacturing activities, EVH creates a dynamic and collaborative European environment.

The EVH consortium is made up of 11 beneficiaries, 13 affiliated and associated entities, from 7 different countries, including leading EU organizations directly involved in vaccine development and in charge of pandemic preparedness in their own countries. The EVH project is coordinated by the “Sclavo Vaccines Association”, a non-profit organization based in Siena devoted to support vaccine research and development. 

The EVH project contributes to the development of an agreed set of pandemic-prototype vaccines and scalable technologies through a consortium of major EU Vaccine R&D institutions and manufacturers, ensuring effective coordination of national vaccine research programs. EVH aligns with the current international consensus on pandemic-vaccine development, leveraging insights from existing prototypes to enable the rapid selection and deployment of the most suitable vaccine candidates in an emerging pandemic. 

Structured around four pillars supporting key activities and infrastructures of the vaccine development pipeline, EVH integrates leading European institutions with distinct expertise and in charge of pandemic preparedness in their own countries. In detail:  Pillar 1 on “Discovery” is led by Fondazione Biotecnopolo di Siena (Italy), Pillar 2 on “Preclinicals studies” by Institut Pasteur (France), Pillar 3 on “Clinical studies” by Vaccinopolis (UAntwerpen, Belgium), and Pillar 4 on “Manufacturing” by the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) (Germany). 

EVH aims thus not only to create a reactive R&D system and knowledge hub linking powerful leading research institutions, but also initiate vaccine-development projects, refining relevant processes and procedures within its framework. The focus is on a select group of pathogens deemed critical for pandemic preparedness, as identified in the recently issued WHO Pathogens Prioritization report for the European region. From prototype design to clinical applications, the EVH drives innovation, enhance clinical evaluation capacities, and coordinate efforts with manufacturers while optimizing the digitalization of vaccine design and distribution processes.

“The EVH represents a transformative initiative to strengthen Europe’s ability to respond to future health emergencies,” said Rino Rappuoli, Scientific Director of Fondazione Biotecnopolo di Siena. “By uniting top vaccine developers, Biotechs and academia cross Europe, we aim to drive innovation and ensure strategic autonomy in vaccine R&D and manufacturing.”

Prof. Donata Medaglini, Vice Rector of the University of Siena and EVH Scientific Coordinator added: “The EVH marks a decisive step toward building a resilient and proactive vaccine ecosystem in Europe. It reflects a unique collaborative effort among institutions committed to scientific excellence and global health security.”

“The EVH project is a pivotal effort to enhance crisis preparedness and response for future health emergencies, with a focus on priority pathogens with pandemic potential” says Professor Dr. Isabelle Bekeredjian-Ding from the Department of Medicine at the University of Marburg—a member institution of the DZIF—who, as DZIF coordinator, will be instrumental in managing and coordinating the EU-wide EVH project at the national level.

"We are convinced that the European Vaccines Hub will play a key role in better preparing for future pandemics. By bringing together top European researchers with a broad network of European and global research institutions, NGOs, public authorities and companies, we hope to make important progress that can sustainably improve the development and manufacturing of pandemic vaccines."

“The EVH shows that the University of Marburg is at the forefront of research into emerging diseases in Europe. I am delighted that this expertise can be incorporated into a Europe-wide project. This confirms the forward-looking path we have taken with the Marburg Center for Epidemic Preparedness, which will be complemented by the establishment of our Postinfection Center,” says Marburg University President Prof. Dr. Thomas Nauss. 

An official Kick-off Meeting has been held at the Rectorate of the University of Siena, Siena, Italy, on 22–23 May 2025, gathering over 160 participants, including representatives from all institutions involved in the EVH project, as well as from the European Commission and key European and national authorities—including the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), representatives of the Italian Ministry of Health and of the Italian Ministry of University and Research. The event provided an opportunity for high-level dialogue among leading institutions and set the stage for a coordinated response to future pandemic threats.

The EVH project is co-funded for the next 4 years from the European Union’s EU4Health programme, with an EU contribution of around 102 million EUR and estimated total project cost of around 170 million EUR. About one-fifth of the EU contribution will go to German institutions under the umbrella of the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF).

To enable the European Union to develop and produce vaccines independently in the event of a pandemic, the EVH wants to establish a public-private partnership in which top academic researchers work together with pharmaceutical and biotech companies to respond quickly and effectively to future crises.

“The EVH demonstrates that the DZIF, with its translational research areas and infrastructures, is among the best in Europe. I am delighted that this expertise, pooled at the national level within the DZIF, can be incorporated into a Europe-wide project,” says DZIF Executive Board Chair Prof. Dr. Dirk Busch.

Expertise, infrastructures, and competencies

Thanks to its scientific excellence and cutting-edge research infrastructure in translational vaccine research, the DZIF successfully acquired European funding to establish the European Vaccines Hub. With its strong network of exceptional scientists and specialized institutions, the DZIF is poised to contribute significantly to this EU-wide project.

The DZIF is contributing extensive expertise in vaccine and antibody platforms, preclinical development, immune monitoring, working under high-security conditions (BSL-4), conducting clinical trials, and data management and regulatory support.

The European Vaccines Hub aims to serve as a central platform to strengthen vaccine development across Europe in the long term. Close collaboration between academic research, clinical expertise, and regulatory know-how will establish sustainable structures for the efficient transfer of innovations. Thus, the DZIF and its partners are making an important contribution to healthcare in Europe and global pandemic preparedness.

The project has secured 102 million euros in funding over four years. Approximately 21 million euros will be allocated to German institutions under the umbrella of the DZIF. This funding forms part of the EU4Health program, launched in response to the pandemic, which aims to strengthen the EU's crisis preparedness. Going forward, the EVH will collaborate closely with HERA (Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority), the European pandemic preparedness authority established during the pandemic, to set priorities.

The content structure of the European Vaccines Hub (EVH)

The EVH is based on the following four pillars: 

1. Platform technologies for the development of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies
2. Preclinical studies (animal models and in vitro studies)
3. Clinical studies (phases I and II, vaccine immunology)
4. Manufacturing and regulation 

Various stakeholders collaborate within one or more of these pillars.

Within the European Vaccines Hub, the DZIF is responsible for one of the four central pillars—vaccine manufacturing and regulation—and is directly involved in almost all work packages. The DZIF is taking a leading role in several work packages and actively contributes its extensive expertise in others, thus making a significant contribution to the implementation of the project objectives.

Organizational structure

The European Vaccines Hub is coordinated by the non-profit organization Sclavo Vaccines Association, based in Siena. The following institutions are involved as partners: 

• Fondazione Biotecnopolo di Siena and University of Siena (Italy)
• Institut Pasteur (France)
• University of Antwerp (Belgium)
• German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) (Germany)
• Center for Pandemic Vaccines and Therapeutics (ZEPAI) at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut (PEI) (Germany)
• Leiden University Medical Center (Netherlands)
• Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) (Norway)
• iBET - Institute of Experimental Biology and Technology (Portugal)
• Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium)

The following DZIF member institutions in Germany are participating in the project under DZIF's coordination: 

• University of Marburg
• Helmholtz Munich
• LMU University Hospital Munich
• University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover
• Technical University of Munich
• University Hospital Cologne
• University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
• University of Tübingen

In addition, the teams of the DZIF Product Development Unit (PDU)—the Translational Project Management Office (TPMO) and the Office for Scientific and Regulatory Advice (OSRA)—contribute their expertise from various areas of vaccine development to the project.