Developing a single vaccine against mosquito borne viruses

The spread of these diseases occurs primarily through mosquitoes. Aedes and Culex are mosquito species that, due to a warming climate, are now moving northward. Various Aedes species, common carriers of dengue and Zika, are now found in many EU countries with warm and humid summers, and they continue to spread into new areas affected by climate change, accordingly expanding the risk of infection.

One vaccine may be enough

There are currently few licensed vaccines against flaviviruses, and those that exist cover only specific viruses, necessitating several vaccinations to protect against these viruses. This is why a broader vaccine is highly sought after, especially as vaccine apathy has been on the increase since the last pandemic. Researchers in the EU funded Flavivaccine project are working to develop a panflavivirus vaccine — a single vaccine that can protect against several serious mosquitoborne diseases, including dengue, yellow fever, Zika and West Nile fever.

Instead of targeting the virus directly, Flavivaccine focuses on the initial infection that occurs when the mosquito comes into contact with the human body.

Safety and regulatory preparedness

An important part of vaccine development is ensuring that new vaccines are safe to use. NORCE researchers Anne Myhr and Arinze Okoli work on questions related to the regulatory processes required for vaccines of this type to be approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA):

– We aim to develop robust methods to prepare and streamline the application process for vaccine approval. This includes identifying early on which types of data are required from the developer, and evaluating other similar vaccines that have already been approved by regulatory agencies, explains Senior Researcher Arinze Okoli.

Responsible research and innovation

Ethics is a core part of Flavivaccine. The project strengthens RRI competence across partners through dedicated activities on ethical standards, transparency, gender equity, and by stakeholder inclusion. Tools such as the Ethical Matrix and Ethics in Research Cards are used in the project to support reflection, dialogue, and anticipation of uncertainties. We explore ethical questions related to vaccine development, production and use, and the assessment is based on principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, justice and autonomy.

– Ethical reflection strengthens science. By combining methodological rigor with openness and stakeholder insight, we aim to support responsible vaccine innovation,” says Senior Researcher Anders Torgeir Hjertø Lind.

Results

The goal of Flavivaccine is to develop a vaccine candidate ready for Phase I clinical evaluation. This will be an important step in the EU’s work to strengthen preparedness for future virus outbreaks and improve global pandemic readiness.

– The project is built on a solid and comprehensive methodological framework that spans the entire research and development chain. The vaccine may become an important resource for strengthening preparedness in the context of climate change and the increasing spread of mosquito‑borne diseases — both in Europe and in countries that already face these viruses today, says Anne Ingeborg Myhr, Head of Biotechnology and Circular Economy at NORCE.