Launch of Pan-European Vaccine Network

The grant agreement for VACCELERATE (European Corona Vaccine Trial Accelerator Platform) was signed in a virtual event today by the European Commission and members of the consortium. VACCELERATE is a 3-year pan-European project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (GA 101037867) that will accelerate phase 2 & 3 COVID-19 vaccine trials. It will unite different stakeholders involved in vaccine development across the continent to create a platform for trial design and conduct.

As the pandemic situation evolves and the number of variants present in our Member States grows it is essential that vaccine development and clinical research continue and adapt to the new situation. VACCELERATE is part of the larger new European bio-defence preparedness plan against COVID-19 variants called the HERA incubator. ‘Research and innovation continue to be crucial in fighting the continuing challenges of this pandemic. The new platform and the reinforcement of European infrastructures and networks, supported by additional funding from Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, will help us deal with any variants and be better prepared for future outbreaks.’ - Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, European Commission.

The European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (ECRIN) supports the conduct of multinational clinical research in Europe. It will contribute to VACCELERATE primarily through the development of tools for harmonised data management and data sharing, as well as the development of master protocols. ECRIN is already very active in various projects funded by the European Commission addressing the COVID 19 pandemic including the two large European adaptive platform trials projects, RECOVER and EU-RESPONSE and a GDPR compliant Individual Participant Data repository (EOSC-Life).  

The VACCELERATE network once developed for the COVID-19 pandemic can then serve to address new emerging infectious diseases and play a pivotal role in the vaccine development capacities of Europe.

View the European Commission’s statement: here