Europe accelerates next-generation flu vaccines with €225m innovation procurement push

Other organisations awarded contracts include Nivi Development P/S, Ethris GmbH, Statens Serum Institut, Vismederi Srl, Stichting European Clinical Research Alliance On Infectious Diseases, Evonik Operations GmbH, IDT Biologika GmbH and Sclavo Vaccines Association.

The contracts, signed in February 2026, will run for 98 months and cover non-clinical development, clinical trial phases I, II and III, as well as pre-market regulatory preparation.

First use of pre-commercial procurement for clinical vaccine development

Beyond the list of recipients, the initiative marks a procedural milestone. It is the first time the European Commission has used pre-commercial procurement (PCP) to advance vaccine candidates through clinical trials.

Under PCP, public authorities procure research and development services for solutions not yet available on the market. Multiple contractors are selected competitively and progress through phased development, with participation narrowed as projects move from early-stage research to more complex clinical stages.

The mechanism is designed to ensure strict safety, quality and efficacy standards while sharing development risks between the public sector and industry. It also aims to support innovations that might otherwise stall without public intervention, particularly in areas where scientific uncertainty, high development costs and unclear commercial returns may deter purely private investment.

The action is financed by the Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority under the EU4Health programme and managed by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency.

Largest EU investment dedicated to accelerating innovative countermeasures

The €225 million commitment represents the largest EU investment ever dedicated specifically to accelerating access to innovative medical countermeasures. The vaccines supported under the scheme are intended to protect against a broader range of influenza variants, be adapted rapidly if a pandemic strain emerges and be easier to administer, including via nasal sprays, oral doses or skin patches.

Flu outbreaks can disrupt daily life, strain healthcare systems and cause death. By widening the development pipeline and investing in scalable production and alternative delivery methods, the Commission aims to strengthen Europe’s ability to respond at scale when outbreaks intensify.

As Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management stated: “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.”

Why next-generation flu vaccines need a public boost

The policy move comes against the backdrop of persistent scientific and structural challenges in influenza vaccine development.

A 2025 review published in Vaccine concludes that while progress has been made, many critical milestones remain unresolved. According to the authors, significant work remains to identify robust correlates of protection, better understand immune imprinting, and induce durable and broadly protective immunity, including at the mucosal level. Regulatory pathways for licensing broadly protective vaccines also require further clarification, including the possible use of alternative clinical evaluation strategies.

The review notes that some milestones have seen limited or no progress due to scientific complexity, resource constraints and the need for sustained political commitment. Of 93 roadmap milestones assessed, the majority remain in progress rather than completed.

In other words, while the pipeline of next-generation candidates exists, advancing them through full clinical development and licensure requires sustained coordination, risk-sharing and long-term investment, precisely the gap that pre-commercial procurement is intended to fill.

Preparedness and competitiveness

Beyond pandemic preparedness, the initiative is also positioned as an industrial strategy tool. By supporting both SMEs and established vaccine manufacturers, the programme aims to strengthen Europe’s pharmaceutical ecosystem and enhance long-term competitiveness in vaccine development and production.

By combining scientific ambition, regulatory risk-sharing and industrial scale-up, the €225 million initiative signals a shift toward more structured public demand for breakthrough medical countermeasures, reinforcing Europe’s resilience against future influenza outbreaks or pandemics.