INNOFLU led by OSIVAX

Context and ambition: positioning France at the forefront of the fight against future pandemics 

The INNOFLU project, led by Osivax in collaboration with the Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL) and the International Center for Infectiology Research (CIRI), is part of a proactive strategy to prepare for health crises and paves the way for a new generation of more effective vaccines against viruses with high mutation rates.

Two complementary innovations to combat influenza pandemics

1. NextGenFluVax: an innovative vaccine combining OVX836, Osivax’s universal vaccine candidate targeting all influenza A strains, with a seasonal influenza vaccine. This unique approach aims to significantly improve the effectiveness of seasonal vaccination (target >70% effectiveness compared to the current average of 38%) by mobilizing both arms of immunity (antibody and cellular responses) while providing cross-protection against pandemic strains thanks to its universal valence. The project plans to conduct a Phase 1 clinical trial on the HCL clinical trial platform to validate the feasibility and safety of NextGenFluVax.

2. VIDAS® IGRA: a rapid, automated test that measures the cellular immune response directly in whole blood in just 16 hours, and which could eventually replace the current conventional method, which takes several days and requires blood cell preparation. The development and validation of this test during the project to measure the vaccine-induced response in humans should ultimately enable robust correlates of protection to be established in future large-scale clinical trials and the rapid evaluation of the effectiveness of vaccine countermeasures against new pandemic strains in the event of a health crisis. 

Strategy and impacts: an effective first line of defense against both seasonal and pandemic influenza strains

The integration of the universal OVX836 valence into the seasonal vaccine would not only reduce the impact of seasonal influenza but also create a first line of immune defense in all vaccinated individuals in the event of the emergence of a pandemic strain, significantly reducing its initial impact.

This approach creates a virtuous circle between seasonal prevention and pandemic preparedness: the use of the vaccine for seasonal use will maintain continuous industrial production capacity, facilitating rapid deployment in emergency situations.

A consortium of excellence combining industry with academic research

Osivax, a French biotechnology company and leader in the development of universal vaccines thanks to its proprietary oligoDOM® platform, contributes its expertise in vaccine development and innovative technology. HCL will conduct the clinical trial and perform immunological analyses on samples, including validation of the VIDAS® IGRA test to measure the specific cellular response to the influenza virus. CIRI will contribute its cutting-edge expertise in immunology and virology to thoroughly characterize the antibody and cellular immune response induced during the clinical trial.