The European Union is committing €225 million to speed up the development of next-generation flu vaccines that will offer protection across a wider range of influenza variants and quickly adapted if a pandemic strain emerges. It marks the first time the European Commission will be using pre-commercial procurement to advance products through clinical trials, ensuring they meet strict safety, quality and efficacy criteria, while supporting innovations that might otherwise stall without public intervention.

The funding will support vaccines designed to be easier to administer via the nose, mouth or skin patches and rapidly scaled up in emergencies.