A consortium called NOFLU has received €13 million from the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) under the EU4Health program to support development of an intranasal vaccine against influenza. The NOFLU consortium consists of inhaled mRNA developer Ethris, along with CDMO Evonik, the Novo Nordisk Foundation Initiative for Vaccines and Immunity (NIVI), the Statens Serum Institut, research network ECRAID; Bavarian Nordic, and CRO VisMederi.
The initial HaDEA funding, which is part of a contract worth up to €148 million, will support a Phase 1 trial that will compare nasal delivery of the flu vaccine to intramuscular delivery of the same molecule, Ethris said.
In February 2025, Ethris received funding to support intranasal vaccine development from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and in May 2025, Ethris announced that it had partnered with Lonza on development of spray-dried formulations of vaccine candidates, noting that the first project would be an intranasal flu vaccine. Ethris announced a partnership with Evonik later that year related to Ethris’s SNaP LNP technology for delivery of mRNA to the lung.
Ethris CEO Carsten Rudolph commented, “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. 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.”
NIVI Development CEO Else Marie Agger said, “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.”
Read the Ethris press release
