A potential universal flu vaccine that targets a stable flu protein (NP)
Official title: Broad spectrum protection and immune responses induced by an NP-based universal influenza vaccine in heterologous NHP challenge model
Funded at Osivax Sas · NIH-11401256 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project develops a new vaccine meant to protect people from many different flu strains by targeting a stable flu protein called nucleoprotein (NP).
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Osivax Sas NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Paris, France) |
| Project start | September 26, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $370,152 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AI177376-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11401256 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
If advanced to human trials, likely candidates would include adults seeking broader protection against seasonal and pandemic flu, especially older adults and healthcare workers.
✕Less likely to help
People with severely weakened immune systems and those needing immediate strain-matched protection may not benefit from this approach until human safety and effectiveness are established.
What this research studies
This work builds a vaccine candidate (OVX836) that presents the NP protein in a heptameric form using Osivax’s oligoDOM® platform to boost immune responses. Researchers will test the vaccine in non-human primates and expose them to different influenza strains to see if it provides broad protection. They will measure T-cell and antibody responses and monitor how well the vaccine prevents disease after these heterologous challenges. The goal is to find an approach that could later move into human trials if results are encouraging.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lead to a vaccine that protects against a wide range of seasonal and pandemic influenza strains, reducing the need for yearly updates.
How similar studies have gone: Other NP-targeted and T-cell–based vaccine approaches have shown promising immune responses in animals and some early human work, but a truly universal flu vaccine has not yet been achieved.
Where this research is happening
-
Osivax Sas
Paris, France Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nicolas, Florence — Osivax Sas
- Study coordinator: Nicolas, Florence
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.