France Vaccins supported projects

ECD-MOP ( Early clinical development of MOPEVACNEW, a pentavalent vaccine against New World arenaviruses) and NAVIX (NAsal VaccInation against pathogen X) 

By Yoan EMRITLOLL, Head of GO National, and Davina MERIAUX, Administrative Coordinator GO National 

The France Vaccins initiative represents a collective response from leading French academic institutions to the Government's call, within the framework of France 2030, for an ambitious program focused on vaccine research and development against emerging infectious diseases. It aims to enhance the preparedness for novel threats by accelerating the development of candidate vaccines and upgrading public development infrastructures. The initiative is piloted by INSERM with Institut Pasteur as a founding member. A key pillar of the initiative is the launching of competitive calls for projects to mobilize the national scientific ecosystem. The goal is to ensure France's position as a major global player in the vaccine sector by supporting domestic innovation, research, and industrialization. Notably, two projects at Institut Pasteur have been awarded funding via the France Vaccins initiative. 

James DI SANTO (Head of Innate Immunity unit) is a partner in the groundbreaking project NAVIX: “NAsal VaccInation against pathogen X” coordinated by Institut Pasteur de Lille. Other teams at Institut Pasteur include: Fabrice AGOU (Head of Chemogenomic and Biological Platform), Samy GOBAA (Head of Biomaterials and Microfluidics) and Christian VOSSHENRICH (Group Leader of Mouse Genetics, lmmunity and Infections) 

The NAVIX project will first develop innovative nasal vaccine components, including targeted antigens, mucosal adjuvants, and advanced delivery systems using nanoparticles and viral vectors. These candidates will then undergo rigorous preclinical evaluation in advanced in vitro and animal models to assess their immunogenicity and protective efficacy. Finally, the project will progress to clinical studies, analyzing human mucosal immunity and conducting a Phase 1b trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a lead influenza vaccine candidate. 

Sylvain BAIZE, (head of the Biology of Viral Emerging Infections Unit (UBIVE)), is coordinating the project “Early clinical development of MOPEVAC_NEW, a pentavalent vaccine against New World arenaviruses - ECD-MOP". MOPEVAC_NEW is a pentavalent live-attenuated vaccine directed against all arenaviruses responsible for severe hemorrhagic fevers in South America (Junin, Machupo, Guanarito, Chapare, and Sabia viruses) using the Mopeia-based attenuated viral vector (MOPEVAC) platform developed by the UBIVE. Preclinical development of MOPEVAC_NEW has been successfully completed in cynomolgus monkeys and the objective of the ECD-MOP project is to transfer the vaccine candidate to an industrial partner to setup the process of production and release a good manufacturing practice (GMP) master virus seed stock (MVSS) to perform a toxicological studies. These early steps of clinical development will build the foundation for further clinical development of MOPEVAC_NEW and phase 1/2a clinical trials in humans to confirm safety and immunogenicity.