Ethris Part of Consortium to Receive up to EUR 148 Million European Commission Contract to Advance Novel Pandemic Influenza Vaccine

Initial tender contract of EUR 13 million supports gated advancement into two subsequent competitive phases

MUNICH, Feb. 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ethris GmbH, a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering next-generation RNA therapeutics and vaccines, today announced that the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) has awarded an initial EUR 13 million under a tender contract worth up to EUR 148 million to NOFLU, a vaccine development consortium comprising Ethris and six other European partners. The funding will support the advancement of Ethris’s mRNA vaccine technology as a mucosal vaccine against pandemic influenza.

NOFLU is one of just three programs funded under this competitive pre-commercial procurement framework as part of a broader EU initiative to explore multiple vaccine strategies in parallel.

“This expert EU consortium in vaccine development, manufacturing, and immunological science is collaborating to ensure society has a system in place for viral pandemic preparedness,” said Carsten Rudolph, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ethris. “We believe Ethris’ differentiated mRNA vaccine technology holds huge potential to support this effort and help contain influenza pandemics by halting viral replication in the airways. The consortium research will build on previous positive clinical proof-of-concept studies with our technology.”

Unlike traditional systemic vaccines, the mRNA vaccine under evaluation is designed to trigger a robust immune response directly at the site of influenza entry, with potential to reduce viral transmission. It uses Ethris’ stabilized, non-immunogenic RNA formulation to ensure both safety and optimal performance.

The consortium includes seven organisations from across Europe: Ethris and Evonik in Germany; NIVI Development (the Novo Nordisk Foundation Initiative for Vaccines and Immunity), Statens Serum Institut and Bavarian Nordic in Denmark; ECRAID in the Netherlands; and VisMederi in Italy. It brings together complementary expertise spanning mRNA formulation and delivery, preclinical research, clinical trial execution, and immunological assessment.

Else Marie Agger, Chief Executive Officer of NIVI Development, added, “The consortium is delighted to contribute to the EU’s efforts to strengthen influenza pandemic preparedness through a new European consortium and an innovative Phase 1 program. The selection of the consortium reflects confidence in our innovative approach to inducing an immune response in the airways combined with an ambitious early-stage clinical development plan.”

The full program represents a staged approach supporting preclinical through market authorization activities within 98 months. The initial EUR 13 million contract will fund a first phase focused on generating early clinical safety data through a Phase 1 clinical study, with progression to two additional phases subject to further review and evaluation within the EU framework. The program could potentially secure up to EUR 35 million for a Phase 2 and EUR 100 million for a Phase 3, in total up to EUR 148 million.

The Phase 1 trial will assess safety, feasibility and immunological responses, including a comparative evaluation of intramuscular and intranasal administration routes, and will be conducted at Gentofte Hospital in Copenhagen.

The NOFLU consortium was established as a response to the HaDEA tender for development of next generation vaccines against influenza. The partners have a bold ambition to advance clinical implementation in an integrated setup, reflecting a shared commitment to scientific rigour, operational excellence, and public health impact of a novel vaccine concept.

About Ethris
Ethris, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has paved a new path from genes to therapeutic proteins, using its proprietary RNA and lipidoid nanoparticle technology platform to discover, design and develop innovative therapies. With more than a decade as an mRNA pioneer, Ethris is a global leader in delivering stabilized mRNAs directly to the respiratory system via optimised formulation and nebulisation technologies. The company is rapidly advancing its mRNA pipeline of immuno-modulation, protein replacement therapies, and differentiated vaccines, with the ultimate goal of improving patients’ lives.

For more information, visit www.ethris.com

Ethris contact:
Dr. Philipp Schreppel
+49 89 244 153 042
schreppel@ethris.com

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.