$260 Million Funds New Vaccines to Combat Deadly Airborne Disease

The Novo Nordisk Foundation today announced it is committing up to $260 million to establish a state-of-the-art research and vaccine development initiative.

The aim is to create new or improved vaccines for some of the deadliest respiratory diseases, including tuberculosis, influenza, and Group A Streptococcus.

This is the first vaccine initiative globally to focus solely on understanding how to generate immunity in the airway. This is a potentially revolutionary means to block infection and prevent airborne diseases from spreading between humans.  

The research arm – the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Vaccines and Immunity – is funded via an eight-year grant and anchored in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Copenhagen, which has gained global recognition for its expertise in infectious disease, immunology, and technological innovation.  

“Basic research carries great importance when it comes to the health and well-being of the world’s population – both present and future,” says Dean Bente M. Stallknecht from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, in a press release on December 18, 2023.

“Vaccines and knowledge of immunology is a key part of that. Boosting excellent basic research within this field of research will pave the way for discoveries and hold the potential to make a huge difference to so many people globally.”  

A key partner in the initiative will be Denmark’s Statens Serum Institut.