Minister announces £4m project to create next-generation RNA Vaccines
A £4m UK research collaboration is set to accelerate the development of affordable, adaptable RNA vaccines to protect animal health, strengthen food security and enhance the UK's preparedness for future disease outbreaks.
Funded by UKRI-BBSRC and Defra, and led by The Pirbright Institute, the project will optimise a ‘plug-and-play’ mRNA vaccine platform for use across major livestock species.
Bringing together experts from the Roslin Institute, University of Surrey, National Measurement Laboratory (NML), and CPI's RNA Centre of Excellence, the programme harnesses major investment in the Centre for Veterinary Vaccine Innovation and Manufacturing (CVIM), dedicated to accelerating the development and deployment of vaccines for neglected and emerging livestock and zoonotic diseases.
The Centre for Veterinary Vaccine Innovation and Manufacturing (CVIM) will play a key supporting role
The Pirbright award forms part of a joint UK government and UKRI announcement of a £54m investment to help prepare for future epidemics, tackle antimicrobial resistance and accelerate the development of next-generation animal vaccines.
UKRI Executive Champion for Tackling Infections and BBSRC Executive Chair, Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith, said: “Pirbright’s award reflects UKRI's central role in delivering government priorities and our long-standing commitment to convening and working with partners across government to fund vital One Health research into human, animal, and plant health.”
RNA vaccines gained global recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they were estimated to have saved millions of lives. An RNA vaccine teaches a body's cells how to make a harmless piece of a protein from a virus or bacterium. The protein triggers an immune response, producing antibodies so a body knows how to fight off a later infection.
Rapid design and production capabilities have positioned RNA vaccines as one of the most promising technologies for tackling emerging infectious diseases. Whilst RNA vaccines have already been licensed for use in pigs, ducks and dogs, broader application in livestock remains limited by cost, manufacturing complexity, cold-chain requirements and the challenge of long-lasting immunity.
The Pirbright-led project aims to improve every stage of the vaccine development process, from antigen design and RNA engineering to manufacturing, formulation and efficacy testing. Using advanced computational biology and structural design tools, researchers will create vaccine candidates targeting four high-priority livestock diseases: influenza A virus (IAV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), bluetongue virus (BTV), and avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC).
The project will also refine manufacturing methods to reduce production costs and identify new low-cost lipid nanoparticle formulations for vaccine delivery. This addresses recommendations from last year’s National Audit Office's report on resilience to animal diseases, which highlighted the need for a long-term strategy to improve vaccine availability and preparedness. Candidate vaccines will be tested in laboratory systems and evaluated in pigs, poultry and ruminants to assess their ability to generate strong protective immune responses.
Professor Dan Horton, Director of Science at The Pirbright Institute, said: "RNA vaccine technology has demonstrated huge value in protecting human health. By optimising this platform for livestock, and supporting vaccine innovation through our leading-edge CVIM facility, we have an opportunity to transform how we respond to animal diseases and improve resilience across farming systems."
Professor Simon Graham, project lead at The Pirbright Institute, said: "Our goal is to develop an affordable, scalable RNA vaccine platform that can be applied across multiple animal species and pathogens. By bringing together expertise in vaccinology, manufacturing, formulation science and immunology, we aim to deliver next-generation vaccines that can make a tangible difference to animal health in the UK and globally."
Establishing domestic RNA vaccine capability could also help safeguard vaccine supply during future disease incursions and support a rapid response to emerging outbreaks. Importantly, the benefits of the programme extend beyond animal health. Improved vaccines against diseases such as APEC, IAV and PRRSV could help reduce the use of antibiotics in livestock production, contributing to efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance. In addition, data generated through the project is expected to inform the development of future human vaccines, reinforcing the One Health principle that human, animal and environmental health are intrinsically linked.
The consortium will work closely with industry partners and a Scientific Advisory Board to ensure discoveries can be translated rapidly into practical solutions. Researchers are confident that the programme will deliver major advances in RNA vaccine technology and pave the way for a new generation of livestock vaccines capable of protecting both animal and public health.