Europe’s health resilience depends not only on preparedness, but also on the ability to develop, finance and bring innovative medical technologies to the point where they can be deployed when needed.
A new investment agreement announced by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank illustrates this approach. On 11 September, the Commission and EIB signed a €30 million investment agreement with Ethris to support the clinical development of next-generation mRNA therapeutics and vaccines targeting respiratory viruses, including viruses with pandemic potential.
Connecting innovation and preparedness
The project focuses on mRNA-based therapeutics and vaccines that can be administered through inhalation or nasal spray, offering an alternative approach to delivering treatments directly to the respiratory tract.
The investment is being provided through HERA Invest, an EU instrument designed to address financing gaps for companies developing medical countermeasures.
Backed by €130 million from the EU4Health programme under InvestEU, HERA Invest supports small and medium-sized companies working on areas relevant to health emergency preparedness. The EIB can provide venture loans covering up to 50% of project costs, with the aim of leveraging additional private investment.
From scientific innovation to health resilience
The example illustrates a broader challenge for Europe’s health ecosystem: scientific discoveries need pathways to development, investment, manufacturing and ultimately deployment.
This requires collaboration across sectors and disciplines — bringing together research organisations, biotech companies, investors, healthcare systems, public authorities and specialised innovation ecosystems.
For life sciences clusters, this interconnected approach is increasingly relevant. Regional ecosystems can provide the relationships and expertise that help companies access research capabilities, partnerships, investment and international opportunities.
Building stronger European health ecosystems
Health security is therefore closely connected to Europe’s wider innovation and competitiveness agenda.
Supporting the development of new therapeutics and vaccines is one part of the picture. Equally important is ensuring that Europe has the companies, research capabilities, investment mechanisms, manufacturing capacity and collaborative networks needed to turn innovation into resilience.
As European health and life sciences ecosystems continue to evolve, strengthening these connections will be central to translating scientific progress into solutions that can benefit patients and healthcare systems.
