At The Pandemic Institute, we are honoured to have hosted several events with leading commercial companies to showcase the remarkable capabilities of our investigators.

In November 2023, we had the privilege of meeting with Valneva, a French biotech company at the forefront of developing and commercializing vaccines for infectious diseases. Notably, Valneva recently secured FDA approval for the world’s first Chikungunya Vaccine candidate. Collaborating with CEPI, they are actively working towards making this ground-breaking vaccine accessible in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC).

We were delighted to welcome Valneva to witness first-hand the exceptional capabilities of Liverpool as a city dedicated to infectious disease research and preparedness.

In the new year, we were delighted to facilitate a meeting between Pharma Latch and TPI investigators from our seven partner organizations. Based on the University College Dublin campus, Pharma Latch is an Irish company pioneering in the field of vaccination.

Recognizing the skin as an ideal vaccination site due to its high density of Antigen Presenting Cells (such as Dendritic Cells) and its proximity to the lymphatic network, Pharma Latch is focusing on revolutionizing intradermal vaccine administration. Their innovative approach utilizes micro-needles to potentially enhance immune responses when vaccines are administrated intradermally.

Feedback from clinical research nurses has highlighted the challenges of intradermal administration, particularly due to varying skin types. Addressing this, Pharma Latch’s Hollow micro-needle technology shows promise in ensuring accurate needle depth penetration and consistent dose delivery. This meeting opens exciting prospects in vaccine administration, underscoring our commitment to advancing healthcare through innovative partnerships.

For further information on partnerships or to come and visit us, please get in touch at [email protected]

By Reyhaneh Dobbash, Trainee Business Development Officer