Affordable, accessible vaccines & antibodies

We are a nonprofit scientific research organization that develops vaccines and antibodies for HIV, tuberculosis, and emerging infectious diseases.

About us

We take a full-circle approach to product development, from the grassroots level to the lab to legislative bodies.

Mission


To translate scientific discoveries into affordable, globally accessible public health solutions.

Vision


A world where all people have equitable access to innovative vaccines and therapeutics.

Our health areas

  • HIV
  • Tuberculosis
  • Lassa fever
  • Marburg virus
  • Sudan Ebolavirus
  • COVID-19

HIV

The challenge

HIV/AIDS remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases, with 1.3 million people acquiring HIV in 2023. Given the complexities of HIV, traditional approaches to vaccine development have so far failed to result in a vaccine that provides protection against HIV. However, a vaccine is still needed to bring a true end to the HIV pandemic. Source: UNAIDS

Our solution

IAVI scientists and our collaborators are developing next-generation HIV vaccines to address the challenges of HIV vaccine design. Together, we have pioneered promising new vaccination strategies and the discovery of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) against HIV. IAVI and our partners are developing HIV bnAbs to prevent HIV acquisition while we advance vaccine candidates.

Tuberculosis

The challenge

Tuberculosis (TB) is the world’s leading infectious disease killer. In 2022, 10.6 million people fell ill with TB and 1.3 million people died of TB disease. The only available TB vaccine is the century-old Bacille Calmette-Guérin, or BCG. While this vaccine has efficacy in protecting against severe TB disease in infants and young children, it is largely ineffective in adolescents and adults, among whom most transmission and disease occurs. Source: WHO

Our solution

IAVI works across our global hubs with a diverse network of partners to advance the most promising TB vaccine candidates from discovery through clinical trials, and eventually, to post-licensure access. Our work extends to policy and advocacy initiatives that support TB vaccine development and access in regions where new vaccines are needed most.

Lassa fever

The challenge

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness endemic to West Africa that causes significant annual outbreaks of disease. Lassa fever is difficult to diagnose, and surveillance data is limited. Current estimates range from 300,000 to 500,000 cases and 5,000 related deaths each year. No licensed vaccines for Lassa fever exist. Source: WHO

Our solution

IAVI is developing a single-dose vaccine candidate for Lassa that is based on a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) vector. This technology is similar to that underlying an approved Ebola Zaire virus vaccine. IAVI’s Lassa vaccine candidate was well tolerated and immunogenic over a wide dose range in a Phase I clinical study. IAVI also conducts Lassa epidemiological studies and modeling to support future vaccine access.

Marburg virus

The challenge

Marburg virus is a filovirus and the causative agent of Marburg virus disease (MVD), which has a case fatality ratio of up to 88%. Marburg virus has the capacity to cause outbreaks with high fatality rates and is a potential bioterror threat. No vaccines or antiviral treatments are approved for MVD. A Marburg vaccine is urgently needed to respond to future outbreaks. Source: WHO

Our solution

IAVI is developing a vaccine candidate for Marburg that is based on a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) vector. This technology is similar to that underlying an approved Ebola Zaire virus vaccine, which is now approved by the U.S. FDA and registered for use in several African countries. Preclinical data demonstrates that IAVI’s Marburg vaccine candidate is highly protective in an animal model with one dose.

Sudan Ebolavirus

The challenge

Sudan ebolavirus is a filovirus and causes outbreaks of Ebola disease, most recently in 2022 in Uganda. Case fatality rates of Ebola disease caused by Sudan ebolavirus have varied from 41% to 100% in past outbreaks. The licensed vaccine for Ebola Zaire virus does not provide cross protection against the Sudan strain. An Ebola Sudan vaccine is urgently needed to prevent and respond to future outbreaks. Source: WHO

Our solution

IAVI is developing a vaccine candidate for Sudan ebolavirus that is based on a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) vector similar to the technology underlying an approved Ebola Zaire virus vaccine. During the 2022 Ebola outbreak in Uganda, the WHO selected IAVI’s Sudan ebolavirus vaccine candidate for a planned ring vaccination trial. While the trial did not go forward due to outbreak control, IAVI has continued clinical development to prepare for future outbreaks.

COVID-19

The challenge

Since December 2019, over 760 million cases of COVID-19 and 6.9 million deaths have been recorded worldwide, but the actual number is thought to be higher. While highly effective, approved COVID-19 vaccines do not fully block transmission or breakthrough infection. Additional COVID-19 vaccines continue to be an urgent need, particularly vaccines suitable for widespread use in middle and low-income countries. Source: WHO

Our solution

IAVI is developing a COVID-19 vaccine candidate that is based on a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) vector. The vaccine candidate has demonstrated safety in humans when administered intramuscularly and has been produced at scale to support larger future clinical trials. IAVI is also investigating an intranasal formulation of our COVID-19 vaccine candidate to prevent infection.

Our impact


We conduct preclinical and clinical trials of our own vaccines and antibodies. Our focus is on diseases of global importance for which there is no market and little financial incentive for development. We also collaborate with and support other scientific organizations to conduct their own clinical trials of priority disease prevention and therapeutic interventions.


255 partners from academic, biotech, pharma sectors, civil society, and global health initiatives


53 biologics candidates supported by the IAVI Product Development Center, out of which 25 advanced to clinical trials


70,000 volunteers enrolled in observational epidemiology studies

Our locations


IAVI Africa

  • Cape Town Office, South Africa
  • Nairobi Office, Kenya

IAVI Europe

  • Amsterdam Office, The Netherlands
  • Human Immunology Lab, London, U.K.

IAVI India

  • Gurugram, Haryana Office
  • Antibody Translational Research Program, IAVI-THSTI, Faridabad

IAVI U.S.

  • New York Office
  • Vaccine Design & Development Lab, New York
  • Neutralizing Antibody Center, California

Recent news & media

Illustration of antibodies attacking HIV. Credit: Science Photo Library.
IAVI Report

A data-driven approach to sequencing HIV vaccine immunogens

For several years now, researchers have been engineering HIV vaccine immunogens that can stimulate the immune system to do something it rarely accomplishes on its own — generating antibodies that can effectively neutralize most, if not all, HIV variants in circulation. These so-called broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) are considered the linchpin of an effective vaccine […]
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IAVI at the 7GFTBV
Features

Join IAVI at the 7th Global Forum on TB Vaccines

IAVI is proud to be convening the 7th Global Forum on TB Vaccines Oct. 8-10 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in collaboration with the Stop TB Partnership Working Group on New TB Vaccines (WGNV) and the TuBerculosis Vaccine Initiative (TBVI), and hosted by the Ministry of Health of Brazil and the Brazilian TB Research Network […]
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IAVI at HIVR4P
Features

IAVI at HIVR4P 2024, the 5th HIV Research for Prevention Conference

After attending the AIDS 2024 conference in July, IAVI is excited to have the opportunity to join the other major HIV conference this year: the 2024 HIV Research for Prevention Conference (HIVR4P) in Lima, Peru, from October 6-10. IAVI leaders will share their expertise and engage with global experts across five packed days of satellite […]
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IAVI and Africa CDC sign MoU
Press Release

Africa CDC and IAVI sign Memorandum of Understanding to enhance vaccine and antibody research capacity in Africa

H.E Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General, Africa CDC, and IAVI’s Mark Feinberg sign the MoU in New York. NEW YORK, NY — Sept. 25, 2024 — The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and IAVI, a nonprofit scientific research organization, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the continent’s disease-fighting capacity, […]
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Afrigen and Bio-Sourcing of Belgium embark on a pilot project to develop applications using transgenic goat milk for monoclonal antibody production.
IAVI Report

Facing stubborn manufacturing challenges

Given the right artificial intelligence algorithms and enough resources, isolating proteins has become a relatively mundane task. But manufacturing proteins, either to serve as the vital ingredients of filled-and-finished vaccines or as stand-alone monoclonal antibody products, still requires complex bioreactors, specialized facilities, highly skilled people, fiendishly expensive ingredients, and long supply chains requiring support that […]
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Lassa Fever Viruses 3D Illustration
Features

First-ever Phase 2 Lassa vaccine clinical trial now fully active across West Africa

We are pleased to share that sites in Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria are all vaccinating volunteers in the IAVI C105 clinical trial of IAVI’s Lassa fever vaccine candidate. The study is designed to evaluate the vaccine candidate’s safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity at two different dosage levels in adults, including people living with HIV, as well […]
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