The International Aids Vaccine Initiative Inc
IAVI
IAVI is a nonprofit scientific research organization that develops vaccines and antibodies for HIV, tuberculosis, emerging infectious diseases (including COVID-19), and neglected diseases such as snakebite.
ID: 685996941523-19
Lobbying Activity
Response to Biotech Act
11 Jun 2025
The proposal to introduce a new European Biotech Act is very welcome. Biotechnology is a real area of strength for the EU, but there are widespread concerns that the European biotech sector is not realizing its full potential, that it remains too difficult to bring new products to market, and that the EU will be out-innovated by other countries and regions in the future. As the call for evidence points out, challenges include the fact that the EU regulatory framework is sometimes too burdensome, that markets are too fragmented and that there are shortages of some key skills. Efforts to address these issues in a coordinated way are good news. However, IAVI also feels that there is a risk the new Act ends up being too focused on promising products for which there is already a clear and profitable market, where simply streamlining some regulations or providing access to venture capital can help speed up a process which was already likely to be completed anyway. This is mistaken because there are also some areas of research where markets are non-existent or non-functioning, or where the level of funding available remains far too small relative to the potential global impact of the new product. Global health R&D, including the development of new vaccines to fight persistent pandemics like HIV/AIDS and TB, is a good example. Despite recent advances, around 1.3 million people are newly infected with HIV each year, and around 10.8 million fall ill with TB. This is an intolerable burden, which the EU is well-placed to help alleviate with the right investments in innovation. And there is clearly a strong case for coordinated pan-EU action, given that the challenges posed by pandemics are cross-border in nature, and there is clear evidence of market failure, meaning R&D would not otherwise happen in the absence of EU involvement. Ignoring these types of biotech represents a missed opportunity. There is naturally a preference for developing policy options which can generate impact without incurring significant EU expenditure, such as cutting regulation. But it is essential that any new biotech approach is also supported by significant funding, including dedicated funding streams for global health under FP10. Funding should, where possible, be awarded on a stable multi-year basis to enable long-term research, covering every stage of the innovation process from lab bench to public use. Innovative pull incentives such as priority review vouchers could also be offered. The potential ROI is high: according to Impact Global Health, every 1 of EU investment in global health R&D ultimately generates 5.67 in benefits. As the Life Sciences Council of Denmark (soon to assume the presidency of the Council of the EU) has written, Europe should aim to achieve "a vibrant and innovative industrial landscape characterised by high investment and a strong focus on public-private partnerships to accelerate the uptake of new technologies in healthcare." In order to achieve this, we hope the Biotech Act will be delivered as part of a package which also includes: - Generous funding commitments to support R&D which delivers huge global benefits but for which there is currently a lack of private investment. - Additional incentives to help accelerate innovation, such as Priority Review Vouchers. - An enhanced focus on helping the biotech sector forge new scientific partnerships which draw in governments, academics, pharmaceutical companies and patients from around the world; to promote joint research, build scientific and clinical trials capacity and forge public-private partnerships. Doing these things can help promote Europes scientific competitiveness, support vaccine manufacturing in Europe, and improve biosecurity and supply chain security, to the benefit of everyone.
Read full responseResponse to EU Life sciences strategy
17 Apr 2025
Call for Evidence: A Strategy for European Life Sciences Response from IAVI IAVI welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the development a new Life Sciences Strategy. We believe the EU has a critical role to play in fostering innovation in health and addressing some of the worlds most pressing public health challenges. IAVI recommendations: Focus on greatest challenges and burdens While efforts to enhance the EUs focus on life sciences are welcome, there is a danger that resources end up being focused on challenges which are prevalent/prominent in Europe itself (such as cancer or dementia). While investment in these challenges is welcome, IAVI believes the EU must also focus its scientific firepower on challenges which impose the greatest public health, societal and economic impact beyond its geographic borders. Persistent pandemics like HIV/AIDS and TB are good examples here despite recent advances, around 1.3 million people are newly infected with HIV each year, and around 10.8 million fall ill with TB. This is an intolerable burden, which the EU is well-placed to help alleviate with the right investments in innovation. Support technologies which lack investment It is important that the EU also focuses on promoting R&D which would not otherwise happen in the absence of EU involvement. Many areas of Life Science are well-funded, but in other areas there is (as the consultation document points out) insufficient translation of research results into products due to a lack of incentives. One example of this is poverty-related diseases such as HIV/AIDS and TB, which impose a huge burden but attract relatively little investment. The potential ROI for global health R&D is high: according to Impact Global Health, every 1 of EU R&D investment ultimately generates 5.67 in benefits. Filling the funding gap is therefore a smart strategic choice for a prosperous and competitive EU, particularly when other funders are cutting investment. Sustained investment in R&D can also help build the capacity of research institutions and others to respond to a pandemic emergency, in keeping with the commitments made under the WHOs new Pandemic Treaty. Foster international collaboration Cross-border health threats can only be effectively addressed with cross-border collaboration. Scientific partnerships which draw in governments, academics, pharmaceutical companies and patients from around the world are essential. We therefore hope that the EU will act to strengthen research cooperation, including with the African Union. Global Health EDCTP3 has been invaluable, but is not on its own sufficient. The Life Sciences strategy should include targeted efforts to promote joint research, build scientific and clinical trials capacity in Africa and forge public-private partnerships around the world. Stable long-term support It is essential that the Life Sciences strategy is supported by significant funding, including dedicated funding streams for global health under FP10. Funding should, where possible, be awarded on a stable multi-year basis to enable long-term research, covering every stage of the innovation process from lab bench to public use. Innovative pull incentives such as priority review vouchers could also be offered, and the EU should support efforts to create new international mechanisms for funding R&D for products such as new TB vaccines. As the Life Sciences Council of Denmark (soon to assume the presidency of the Council of the EU) has written, the aim should be to achieve "a vibrant and innovative industrial landscape characterised by high investment and a strong focus on public-private partnerships to accelerate the uptake of new technologies in healthcare." We look forward to continuing to help shape the EUs work in this critical area.
Read full responseMeeting with Laurent Muschel (Director Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority) and
24 Mar 2025 · Discussion on availability and access to medical countermeasures manufactured by IAVI
Meeting with Iliana Ivanova (Commissioner) and
22 Apr 2024 · Support of the European Framework Programme for health research and innovation