ARCAS · ARCAS: Analysis of the Route to Commercialisation of MVA based influenza vaccines

ARCAS will investigate the commercial potential and commercialization strategy of a platform of continuously updated repository of pandemic influenza vaccine candidates that was developed under the ERC project FLUPLAN. This platform is based on a novel vector technology using recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) to develop pandemic influenza vaccines. There are two major advantages of the platform in comparison to current pandemic influenza vaccine platforms using adjuvanted-inactivated and live-attenuated influenza vaccines: i) the high immunogenicity induced in the absence of adjuvants, even at very low dosages, and ii) higher and faster vaccine production capacity. This addresses today’s key unmet needs of pandemic influenza vaccines: strong and broad immunogenicity as well as virtually unlimited production capacity for large scale vaccination campaigns needed in the face of an emerging influenza pandemic. While FLUPLAN addresses the technical development of the platform, including one of the promising candidate vaccines (MVA-based influenza A/H5N1 vaccine), ARCAS will focus on the commercial potential and the commercialization strategy for the platform. This will be achieved by conducting an extensive market study to determine the potential for the novel vaccine repository platform, by analyzing the IP position to build a solid IP portfolio, and by conducting a technical evaluation on the potential of the platform. This will provide the basis to determine the commercial potential and subsequently the most viable commercialization strategy for the platform, to be detailed in a strategic business plan. Furthermore, as part of the strategic business plan, we aim to develop a sound factsheet that will allow potential commercial partners to invest in the technology, addressing the current influenza market needs, given the competitive advantage offered by the platform.