Feasibility phase

New technological approaches need to be developed and brought to market for future pandemics and to combat viruses for which it is not yet possible to generate long-lasting immunity. While innovative vaccine technologies such as mRNA vaccines elicit strong immune responses and have a good safety profile, there are currently no technologies that reliably provide long-lasting vaccine protection. Studies in animals have shown that vaccines based on mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) – a herpes virus – have this potential after a single does and are also ideal for developing vaccines that protect against several pathogens. MCMV vector technology is therefore an important addition to existing technologies.

Next-Generation Vaccines for Long-Term Protection Against Viruses

The VIVA-VEK-2 project will produce a proof-of-principle vaccine candidate against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) based on the MCMV vaccine vector technology developed by the project team and test it in a large animal model. This feasibility study is being conducted to evaluate the basic efficacy and tolerability of the vaccine in higher mammals and to facilitate dialogue with regulatory authorities. With these results, the necessary authorisation for the first clinical trials of an MCMV-based vaccine against RSV can be applied for in the future. The study will also examine utilisation concepts and follow-up financing options and develop a spin-off concept.

Conceptual phase

Suitable vaccine platforms are the basis for the successful development of vaccines. One possibility is the use of viral vectors as a vaccine platform. Vectors from the herpes virus family are known to produce strong and long-lasting immune responses. So far, however, there are no approved vaccines based on this technology. On the basis of a unique approach that circumvents the previously known problems of this technology, the VIVA-VEK project aims to identify and evaluate the optimal uses for a novel vaccine vector. The novel vaccine platform based on this is thus expected to make a long-term contribution to the development of innovative vaccines. In the upcoming exploratory phase a pathogen-specific vaccine candidate for further development will be specified and the goals for a feasibility phase and ideal partners for this will be identified. Ultimately, in cooperation with experts from the Paul-Ehrlich Institute, the prerequisites for clinical trials will be developed to be able to address them systematically during the feasibility phase.

Detailed information about all phase 4 projects