VACCELERATE_EU

VACCELERATE is a clinical research network for the coordination and conduct of COVID-19 vaccine trials. The network is comprised of academic institutions from all over Europe: The consortium is led by the University of Cologne, Germany, and currently includes 29 national partners in 18 EU-member states and 5 countries associated to the EU Horizon 2020 research programme. VACCELERATE is funded by the European Commission’s activities for future pandemic preparedness, the HERA Incubator, an instrument that was created in analogy to the United States‘ BARDA. VACCELERATE offers expertise, services, resources and solutions to speed up existing and upcoming development programmes as well as market authorisations for new vaccines and vaccination strategies. The network serves as a single entry-point for all stakeholders in COVID-19 vaccine development (pharma, academia, European Commission, EMA, ECDC, national health authorities and others) for phase 2 and 3 trials in Europe. The network will address any research question of interest, such as vaccine efficacy in virus variants, trials in children, pregnant women, immuno-compromised patients, trials on combination of different vaccines etc. The establishment of a European Volunteer Eegistry for vaccine trials provides fast and efficient recruitment of trial participants. VACCELERATE conducts capacity mapping of new clinical trial sites and laboratories with standardised methods and protocols, and provides standardised educational measures, training and quality management for harmonised vaccine trials. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101037867.