The Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF) is to establish a state-of-the-art research and vaccine development initiative in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen.

Research at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Initiative for Vaccines and Immunity (NIVI) will focus initially on TB, influenza and Group A Streptococcus (GAS), which collectively cause more than 2.5 million deaths per year.

Here in Denmark, NIVI will consolidate current expertise in immunology and vaccine development, helping to establish an internationally renowned vaccine research system and ensuring that Denmark is at the forefront of translational vaccine science globally.”

“The development of the Covid-19 vaccines demonstrated the extraordinary possibilities when interdisciplinary vaccine research and development are prioritised. With NIVI, the Novo Nordisk Foundation and the University of Copenhagen are building on that momentum and dreaming even bigger – working towards a world where respiratory diseases no longer end the lives of millions of people every year. Here in Denmark, NIVI will consolidate current expertise in immunology and vaccine development, helping to establish an internationally renowned vaccine research system and ensuring that Denmark is at the forefront of translational vaccine science globally,” says Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of NNF.

Increasing the chances of success

NIVI aims to develop new vaccines for TB, influenza and GAS that generate robust, local immunity in the airways and, by extension, limit the spread of antimicrobial resistance, a global pandemic driven in part by the overuse or misuse of antibiotics against airway infections. Furthermore, while most vaccine development initiatives focus on a single strategy, NIVI will compare different vaccine antigens, platforms, and delivery methods side by side, increasing the chances of success. In the case of delivery methods, for example, various strategies will be tested and combined, including conventional injection in the muscle and nasal sprays.

By studying three very different viral and bacterial diseases and developing a range of vaccine candidates and technologies, NIVI will significantly advance understanding of both systemic and airway immunity, helping the world to tackle existing and future airborne threats.

A smooth path between basic research and vaccine development

NIVI comprises two entities, which together will ensure a smooth path between basic research and vaccine development up to Phase II clinical trials, NNF states.

The research arm – the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Vaccines and Immunity (NCVI) – is funded via an eight-year grant and anchored in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Copenhagen, which has gained global recognition for its expertise in infectious disease, immunology and technological innovation.

NVAC will enable and enhance the work of NCVI by licensing and developing vaccine technologies, preparing vaccine formulations, reagents and assays, and coordinating the external clinical-grade production and clinical testing of promising vaccine candidates.”

To this end, NNF has also established a limited liability company – the Novo Nordisk Foundation Vaccine Accelerator (NVAC P/S). NVAC will enable and enhance the work of NCVI by licensing and developing vaccine technologies, preparing vaccine formulations, reagents and assays, and coordinating the external clinical-grade production and clinical testing of promising vaccine candidates. Any revenue generated by NVAC will be reinvested in NIVI.

Key collaborations

Collaboration with public and private actors will be crucial to the initiative’s success. A key partner will be Statens Serum Institut (SSI), which operates under the auspices of the Danish Ministry of the Interior and Health. SSI has substantial expertise in vaccine design and development, and highly relevant research programs and infrastructure.

National and international partnerships with world-leading research teams and experts with similar ambitions will also be established in the coming years, while NVAC will seek manufacturing partnerships to ensure that promising new vaccines have real-world impact and are accessible and affordable.

We hope that NIVI’s work can help prepare us for the next pandemic or even help consign airborne epidemics to history.”

NCVI and NVAC will be headed by the same person – the NIVI Executive Director/CEO, to be announced in 2024 – with the dual role ensuring close integration of the two entities. Until now, development of NIVI has been led by eminent vaccinologist and Senior Vice President of Infectious Diseases at the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Professor Peter Lawætz Andersen.

“Fundamentally, designing vaccines with a focus on generating immunity in the respiratory system is a relatively unexplored area of research with astounding potential,” he says. “We hope that NIVI’s work can help prepare us for the next pandemic or even help consign airborne epidemics to history.”

Featured photo of Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of Novo Nordisk Foundation: Novo Nordisk Foundation