The European Vaccine Hub for Pandemic Readiness (EVH) is a consortium that connects all stakeholders along the entire development chain of potential pandemic vaccines to drive their development. The goal of the EVH is to build up ready-to-go operational capacities in all areas of vaccine development in order to be prepared throughout the EU for future pandemics. The official kick-off meeting was held on 22-23 May 2025 in the Rectorate of the University of Siena, Italy, with representatives from all institutions involved in the EVH project. The Center for Pandemic Vaccines and Therapeutics (Zentrum für Pandemie-Impfstoffe und -Therapeutika, ZEPAI) at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Federal Institute for Vaccines and Biomedicines, is an important part of the EVH and actively contributes its expertise in the field of pandemic readiness and vaccine supply to the EU-funded project.
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Vaccines are one of the most effective tools in the fight against the spread of pathogens. It is therefore important, especially in the event of a pandemic, to develop safe and effective vaccines as quickly as possible and to be able to produce them in sufficiently large quantities – this is the goal that the EVH project is pursuing at the European level.
ZEPAI's responsibility within the EVH is to set up a network of European production facilities that are prepared to produce vaccines and antibodies quickly when a crisis occurs. In carrying out this important task, ZEPAI, which is based at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, can draw on its previous experience in reviewing and managing German pandemic preparedness contracts and distributing pandemic vaccines and effectively contribute its expertise in Germany to the EU-wide consortium.
Rapid vaccine production is to be made possible by an approach known as the prototype vaccine concept. In the framework of this concept, vaccines against several potentially pandemic-relevant pathogens will be developed within the EVH over the next four years. The focus will be on a selected group of pathogens that are critical to pandemic preparedness for the European Region. This approach allows for the establishment of manufacturing processes for certain vaccine prototypes in advance and the preparation of technology transfer to major manufacturers. ZEPAI at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut will optimise the processes surrounding vaccine production. by carrying out audits and stress tests in order to assess processes and analysing the supply of critical supplier products. In a crisis situation such as a pandemic, ZEPAI will act as a point of contact for the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), the German Federal Ministry of Health (Bundesministerium für Gesundheit, BMG), EVH partners, major manufacturers, and others, coordinating the production of vaccines and antibodies at different locations.
The EVH consortium consists of leading European organisations from seven different countries that are directly involved in vaccine development and are responsible for pandemic preparedness in their countries. The EVH project is coordinated by the Sclavo Vaccines Association, a non-profit organisation based in Siena that is dedicated to promoting vaccine research and development. The project will be co-financed by the European Union's EU4Health programme with a contribution of around 102 million euros over the next four years.
Updated: 26.06.2025
