NOFLU Consortium Awarded Contract Worth Up to EUR 148 Million

The funding, which is part of a larger investment commitment from the European Commission, will be used to progress Ethris’ differentiated mRNA vaccine technology as a treatment for pandemic flu.

Clinical-stage biotechnology company, Ethris, has revealed that NOFLU — the vaccine development consortium it is a part of alongside six other European partners — has been awarded EUR 13 million under a tender contract that is worth up to EUR 148 million from the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). The funding will be used to help advance the development of Ethris’ messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine technology as a mucosal vaccine against pandemic influenza (1).

The mRNA vaccine under development and evaluation works differently to traditional systemic flu shots as it is designed to trigger a robust immune response directly at the site of influenza entry and has the potential to reduce viral transmission. According to the company, both safety and performance of the vaccine are optimized thanks to its stabilized, non-immunogenic RNA formulation.

“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, in a company press release (1). “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.”

Including seven organizations from across Europe, the consortium brings together complementary expertise spanning mRNA formulation and delivery, preclinical research, clinical trial execution, and immunological assessment (1). The organizations involved in the consortium are Ethris and Evonik in Germany, the Novo Nordisk Foundation Initiative for Vaccines and Immunity, Statens Serum Institute and Bavarian Nordic in Denmark, ECRAID in the Netherlands, and VisMederi in Italy.

“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 I program,” added Else Marie Agger, Chief Executive Officer of NIVI Development, in the press release (1). “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.”

This investment from HaDEA forms part of the European Commission’s wider plans to progress the development of next-generation flu vaccines, for which it is committing EUR 225 million (2). In addition to HaDEA financing research, the Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority are also involved.

“With an EU investment of EUR 225 million — the largest ever dedicated to accelerating access to innovative medical countermeasures — we are advancing the development of next-generation flu vaccines,” said Hadja Lahbib, Commission for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management, in a press release (2). “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.”  

References

1. Ethris. Ethris Part of Consortium to Receive up to EUR 148 Million European Commission Contract to Advance Novel Pandemic Influenza Vaccine. Press Release, Feb. 25, 2026.

2. EC. Commission Invests €225 Million to Build Next-Generation Protection Against Influenza. News Announcement, Feb. 20, 2026.

• What is the NOFLU consortium and what is its goal?

  The NOFLU consortium is a European vaccine development partnership led by Ethris and involving several research and industry partners across Europe. The consortium aims to develop a next-generation mRNA-based mucosal vaccine for pandemic influenza, designed to stimulate immune protection directly in the respiratory tract where the virus first enters the body.

• What funding has the NOFLU consortium received from the EU?

  The consortium has received an initial €13 million contract from the European Health and Digital Executive Agency under a programme that could provide up to €148 million in total funding if development milestones are met. The staged funding supports clinical development of the vaccine, including Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 clinical trials.

• How does the NOFLU mRNA vaccine differ from traditional flu vaccines?

  Unlike traditional flu vaccines that generate systemic immunity, the vaccine being developed by the NOFLU consortium is designed to trigger mucosal immunity in the airways. This approach aims to stop influenza viruses at their point of entry in the respiratory tract, which may help reduce viral transmission and improve pandemic preparedness.