EMI-TB · Project

New Lung-Targeted TB Vaccine Technology to Replace the Century-Old BCG Shot

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Tuberculosis still kills 1.5 million people every year, and the only vaccine we have — BCG — works well for kids but fails to protect adults from lung TB. Think of it like a security guard who watches the front door but ignores the windows. EMI-TB tried to fix that by designing a vaccine delivered straight to the lungs, training the immune system right where TB actually attacks. They combined new delivery methods with multiple TB protein targets to trigger a broader defensive response both in the lungs and throughout the body.

By the numbers

1.5 million

people killed by TB every year

EUR 7,993,660

EU funding for vaccine R&D

consortium partners across 7 countries

industry partners including SMEs

The business problem

What needed solving

Tuberculosis kills 1.5 million people annually, yet the only available vaccine (BCG) fails to protect adults from pulmonary TB — the most common and deadly form. The pharmaceutical industry lacks an effective next-generation TB vaccine, leaving a massive unmet global health need and a significant market gap for vaccine makers and public health organizations.

The solution

What was built

The project developed mucosal vaccine delivery technologies targeting lung immune cells, multi-antigen polypeptide formulations combining early and latent TB targets, and tools for identifying early predictors of vaccine-induced protection. The documented deliverables include research publications in high-impact journals and public dissemination activities.

Audience

Who needs this

Vaccine manufacturers with infectious disease R&D pipelinesBiotech companies specializing in pulmonary drug delivery systemsDiagnostic companies developing immune monitoring and biomarker assaysGlobal health organizations funding TB elimination programsContract research organizations running TB vaccine clinical trials

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Pharmaceutical & Vaccine Manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Vaccine development companies and large pharma with infectious disease pipelines

If you are a pharmaceutical company struggling with the stagnant TB vaccine market — this project developed mucosal vaccine delivery technologies and multi-antigen formulations targeting both active and latent TB. With 1.5 million TB deaths per year, the market need is massive, and these lung-targeted delivery methods could differentiate your pipeline from traditional injectable candidates.

Biotech Drug Delivery

mid-size

Target: Drug delivery technology companies specializing in pulmonary or mucosal routes

If you are a biotech company working on inhaled or mucosal drug delivery systems — this project tested delivery technologies specifically designed to target immune cells in lung tissue. The platform could be licensed or adapted beyond TB for other respiratory pathogens, giving you validated mucosal delivery know-how backed by a 14-partner international consortium.

Diagnostic & Immunology Tools

SME

Target: Companies developing immune monitoring assays and biomarker platforms

If you are a diagnostics company looking for new biomarker opportunities — this project worked on identifying early predictors and correlates of vaccine-induced protection against TB. These immune markers could become the basis for companion diagnostics or immune monitoring kits used in clinical trials and public health screening programs.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or access this vaccine technology?

The project was funded with EUR 7,993,660 in EU contribution across 14 partners. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated directly with St George's Hospital Medical School (UK) as coordinator. As an RIA-funded project, IP arrangements follow the Horizon 2020 grant agreement and may involve multiple consortium members.

How close is this to industrial-scale manufacturing?

Based on available project data, this project focused on vaccine design, delivery optimization, and identifying immune correlates of protection. The deliverables indicate research publications and public dissemination rather than manufacturing scale-up. Significant additional clinical development would be needed before production scale.

What is the IP situation and can I license this?

The project involved 14 partners across 7 countries, including 2 industry partners and 2 SMEs. IP ownership follows Horizon 2020 rules where each partner owns the results they generate. Licensing would likely require agreements with multiple partners depending on which specific technologies you need.

Has this been tested in humans or only in the lab?

Based on available project data, the objective describes vaccine design and identification of immune correlates rather than clinical trial execution. The deliverables list research publications and public dissemination. Clinical testing status would need to be confirmed directly with the consortium.

Can the mucosal delivery technology be used for diseases other than TB?

The lung-targeted delivery technologies and mucosal immune cell targeting methods developed in this project could potentially be adapted for other respiratory infections. However, the project specifically focused on TB antigens and MTB-specific immune responses, so adaptation would require additional R&D.

What regulatory pathway would this follow?

TB vaccines follow stringent regulatory pathways through EMA and FDA. Based on available project data, this is still at the research stage. Any commercialization would require preclinical safety studies, Phase I-III clinical trials, and regulatory approval — a process typically taking 10-15 years for vaccines.

Who were the industry partners involved?

The consortium included 2 industry partners and 2 SMEs out of 14 total partners across 7 countries. The industry ratio was 14%, with the majority being universities and research organizations. This composition reflects the early-stage research nature of the work.

Consortium

Who built it

The EMI-TB consortium brought together 14 partners from 7 countries (CZ, DE, ES, IT, MZ, SE, UK), led by St George's Hospital Medical School in the UK. The partnership is heavily research-oriented: 6 universities and 6 research organizations form the core, with only 2 industry partners (14% industry ratio) and 2 SMEs. Notably, Mozambique (MZ) is included — critical for a TB project since the disease burden is highest in developing countries. For a business looking to engage, the low industry ratio signals this is early-stage science rather than near-market technology, but the strong academic base means deep immunology expertise and potentially licensable IP from multiple European institutions.

ST GEORGE'S HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOLCoordinator · UK
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA TOR VERGATAparticipant · IT
LIONEX GMBHparticipant · DE
Instituto Nacional de Saúdeparticipant · MZ
AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICASparticipant · ES
Department of Healthparticipant · UK
INSTITUT DE INVESTIGACIO EN CIENCIES DE LA SALUT GERMANS TRIAS I PUJOLparticipant · ES
SPOREGEN LIMITEDparticipant · UK
AZIENDA OSPEDALIERA UNIVERSITARIA POLICLINICO PAOLO GIACCONE DI PALERMOparticipant · IT
KAROLINSKA INSTITUTETparticipant · SE
MIKROBIOLOGICKY USTAV AV CR V.V.Iparticipant · CZ
UNIVERSIDAD DE VIGOparticipant · ES
KING'S COLLEGE LONDONparticipant · UK
STOCKHOLMS UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE

How to reach the team

St George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK — contact through university technology transfer office

Order a report on this consortium See ST GEORGE'S HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the EMI-TB research team? SciTransfer can connect you with the right people and provide a detailed technology brief. Contact us to explore licensing or collaboration opportunities.

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