VisMederi is a partner in NOFLU, a European consortium selected by the European Union to support the early clinical development of a next-generation pandemic influenza vaccine.
The project is coordinated by NIVI Development, the development arm of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Initiative for Vaccines and Immunity (NIVI), a Danish initiative established to accelerate vaccine research and development with a focus on airway immunity. NOFLU brings together seven partners across four European countries and will initiate a Phase 1 clinical study of an mRNA vaccine candidate targeting the H5N8 strain.
NOFLU focuses on innovative vaccination strategies designed to induce mucosal immunity in the respiratory tract, the main entry point for respiratory viruses. Strengthening this first line of defense could represent an important step for Europe’s preparedness, particularly against influenza strains with pandemic potential.
VisMederi’s role in the consortium reinforces its position as a scientific partner in generating high-quality clinical evidence and supporting the definition of robust immunological endpoints from the earliest stages. Within NOFLU, VisMederi will contribute expertise in immunological evaluation and early clinical development, supporting the collection, validation, and interpretation of clinical immunology data that inform development decisions and help accelerate next steps.
VisMederi will work alongside partners including Ethris, Statens Serum Institut, Evonik Health Care, Ecraid, and Bavarian Nordic, as part of a coordinated European collaboration to advance new vaccine platforms and strengthen readiness for future influenza threats.
“Despite progress in next-generation influenza vaccines, correlates of protection are not yet fully understood, and this becomes even more evident for pandemic candidates or approaches that may elicit immune responses beyond classical serum IgG. That is why a deeper assessment of cell-mediated immunity is essential to better understand vaccine-induced protection and to guide early clinical development of innovative vaccination strategies,” said Emanuele Montomoli, Founder of VisMederi
Photo: NIVI Development
