Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ERINHA2 (European Research Infrastructure on Highly Pathogenic Agents 2)

Teaser

The 2008 ESFRI Roadmap identified a critical need for a coordinated European BSL-4 capacity to enable the European Union to address the challenges posed by the emergence or re-emergence of highly pathogenic agents. Under the FP7-CP-CSA-Infra-PP funding scheme, the ERINHA...

Summary

The 2008 ESFRI Roadmap identified a critical need for a coordinated European BSL-4 capacity to enable the European Union to address the challenges posed by the emergence or re-emergence of highly pathogenic agents. Under the FP7-CP-CSA-Infra-PP funding scheme, the ERINHA project (1 November 2010 – 31 August 2014) worked to address this need through a First Preparatory Phase (PP1). While much was achieved in this first phase, a Second Preparatory Phase (PP2) – ERINHA2 – was deemed necessary to achieve the following aim: to bring the ERINHA Research Infrastructure (RI) to the level of legal, financial, and technical maturity required for implementation.

Work performed

Legal framework

In March 2016, the host country of the Central Coordinating Unit (CCU) was selected by the Steering Committee (SC): France. The SC, set up as a decision-making body in the framework of the ERINHA2 project, adopted the legal status of an AISBL in May 2016. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by 7 members willing to join ERINHA RI as founding members: France (Inserm), Sweden (FoHM), Hungary (NCE), Italy (INMI), Romania (SVB), Portugal (INSA) and Greece (HPI). The legal statutes were signed by 3 founding members on the 26th of April 2017: France (Inserm), Sweden (FoHM) and Portugal (INSA). Additional members will join ERINHA from the beginning of the implementation phase. In parallel, ERINHA2 worked on the development of an operational structure, defining a set of internal procedures on specific operational aspects such as data management, an access strategy and a human resources policy. Recruitment of the ERINHA CCU is underway.

Financial sustainability

An analysis of the current financial landscape of the future Research Infrastructure (RI) was conducted through a market study in which more than 38 potential users of ERINHA were interviewed. A user strategy was then developed to address the expectations of potential users. Simultaneously, a study was performed to clearly identify the costs, capacities and expertise of each consortium partner, which enabled a mechanism for contribution fees from member countries to be agreed on. Attention was given to the costs of BSL4 partners and the number of users that could access services within ERINHA. The analysis reveals that the demand is currently higher than the available capacities. The complete analysis of ERINHA’s financial sustainability is provided in a Business Plan (BP) which includes a risk assessment, an access policy and a description of the services. The BP was one of the key documents in obtaining commitment for the RI. Efforts have been made to identify alternative funding for ERINHA and include the RI in public funding schemes, by approaching relevant ministries and other funding agencies. Private investors or sponsors (Industries, NGOs, etc.) were also contacted.

Research strategy

During ERINHA2, the consortium updated the Research Portfolio (RP) – a framework for the research that will be carried out within ERINHA by external and internal users. The revised RP takes into account the West African Ebola outbreak, the WHO R&D blueprint for Action to Prevent Epidemics Plan of Action and recommendations from the High Level Expert Group (HLEG) monitoring the project for ESFRI.
It describes the pathogens prioritized by ERINHA – Ebola, Marburg, Lassa fever, Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic fever, Nipah/Hendra and unknown agents and bacteria; the potential outputs – diagnostic tools, vaccines, therapeutics, increased knowledge and evidence-based infection control; the services – transnational access to BSL4 and complementary facilities, training, advice and expertise and project management, as well as the impact of the RI and its position within a landscape of initiatives. The RP was signed by the Consortium and SC members with the exception of Belgium.
The RP was presented at the successful ERINHA conference in Brussels on the 10th of May 2017 “Launching the European Research Infrastructure on Highly Pathogenic Agents’ scientific strategy: a workshop for potential users” which was attended by over 60 participants, including speakers from the EC, the WHO, CEPI, IMI, BARDA, Sanofi Pasteur and academic institutions (INMI, FoHM, PHE, Aix-Marseille Université).

Advocacy and obtaining commitment

A stakeholder engagement and communication strategy was developed to obtain commitment and to position ERINHA on the European and international high containment research landscape. France, ERINHA’s host country’s political and financial commitment were secured in 2016. The written approval of ERINHA’s scientific strategy (RP) at the end o

Final results

ERINHA will contribute to European Scientific excellence and the generation of new knowledge by reinforcing European research capacities for the study of highly infectious diseases and enhancing coordination of BSL4 and complementary facilities. Unmet scientific issues will be answered, such as better understanding of disease processes, new animal models, vaccines and therapy development. ERINHA will contribute to boosting European competitiveness and Research and Innovation. ERINHA will facilitate complex and comprehensive research programmes to compete with those conducted outside the EU. In addition, bringing together multiple BSL4 capacities, as well as a full range of BSL laboratories and scientists coming from different fields within one infrastructure will enable ERINHA to respond effectively to the partnership needs of Academia and Industry.
ERINHA’s main scientific advancements will have the highest impact on health as in the field of RG4 pathogens limited countermeasures are available and there is a lack of standardized diagnostic tools. ERINHA will be an essential source of state-of-the-art knowledge and expertise, consulting, education and training. It will provide an environment of highly qualified personnel for outbreak response activities. Research carried out in the infrastructure is intended to contribute to the overarching aim of “protecting human health by increasing Europe’s preparedness for and capability to respond to an existing severe infectious disease or a newly emerged infectious disease threat.”
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Website & more info

More info: http://www.erinha.eu.