IMI prepares Call for proposals on Ebola

The Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI 2) announces that an ambitious IMI programme to accelerate the development of vaccines and treatments against Ebola and other filoviral haemorrhagic fevers, currently is under preparation .A fast-track call for proposals is likely to be launched in the near future. More information will be published shortly on the website of IMI.

According to the World Health Organization’s latest reports, over 10,000 people have contracted Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the current outbreak, and around 5,000 have died. The vast majority of cases are in just three west African countries: Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. There are currently no approved treatments or vaccines for Ebola, although a number of treatments and vaccines are now being tested.

The goal of the IMI 2 programme is to develop next generation vaccines, medicines and treatments, such as new antibiotics. It will build on the successes and lessons learnt under IMI's first phase. As before, it will bring together companies, universities, public laboratories, innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), patient groups and regulators in collaborative projects that will pave the way for breakthrough vaccines, medicines and treatments to tackle Europe’s growing health challenges, and secure the future international competitiveness of Europe’s pharmaceutical industry.