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NEC contributes to AI powered Vaccine Design through the EU funded PREPAIR VAC Pandemic Preparedness Project

News Provided by JCN Newswire2026-10-27

Tokyo, Japan and Schiphol, Netherlands, October 27, 2026 - (JCN Newswire) - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) today announced its participation in PREPAIR VAC, a Horizon Europe–funded research project aimed at strengthening pandemic preparedness through the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in vaccine design. The grant has been awarded to NEC OncoImmunity AS (NOI)—a wholly owned subsidiary of NEC Bio within NEC Corporation—alongside several European partners comprising a research consortium.

This four-year research grant beginning in September 2026, with a total budget of approximately €6.5M, aims to address major challenges in vaccine design in the context of pandemic preparedness, bringing together leading organizations across the vaccine development ecosystem. European partners from academia, industry, and public health have come together to establish a next generation vaccine development framework capable of responding more rapidly to emerging infectious diseases.

Within the consortium, NOI, the primary initiator of the project, is responsible for AI powered antigen prediction and vaccine design, applying its cutting edge and advanced technologies to anticipate viral evolution and design broadly protective antigens. This approach is intended to support the development of broadly protective vaccine candidates and reduce the time required to progress from pathogen identification to vaccine design.

Dr. Kaidre Bendjama, Chief Scientific Officer, NEC OncoImmunity, said:

"PREPAIR VAC reflects the European Commission’s confidence in the role of AI driven design in strengthening European pandemic preparedness. Building on our experience in the field, NEC is applying AI technologies to create novel rapidly scalable vaccines that address current pathogen and host diversity while anticipating future mutations. The consortium brings together complementary expertise across the vaccine development lifecycle to generate a solid proof-of-concept package using preclinical and translational models."

The project is coordinated by the European Vaccine Initiative (EVI) and includes partners specializing in manufacturing, formulation, preclinical validation, and ethical, legal, regulatory and societal aspects of vaccine innovation. In addition to scientific and technological development, PREPAIR VAC also addresses responsible use of AI, public trust, and regulatory considerations.

About PREPAIR VAC

PREPAIR VAC is a Horizon Europe–funded research project focused on the development of a rapid, AI driven vaccine design pipeline to improve preparedness for emerging infectious diseases. Other project partners include:

NEVEZYNE SAS (France)
Croda Denmark A/S (Denmark)
Uppsala University (Sweden)
Université Jean Monnet – Saint Étienne (France)
Niedersächsisches Landesgesundheitsamt (Germany)
Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (Germany)

About HORIZON Europe

Horizon Europe, the European Union’s €95.5 billion research and innovation programme for 2021–2027, is highly competitive, multi national projects addressing strategic challenges. The project was selected under a call focused on pandemic preparedness and next generation vaccine technologies, an area of significant EU investment following COVID 19. Horizon Europe funding is awarded through a rigorous evaluation process, with only a limited number of proposals receiving support. PREPAIR VAC forms part of the programme’s broader multi billion euro commitment to strengthening health resilience and accelerating innovation in vaccine development. The selection highlights the importance of AI driven approaches in enabling faster and more predictive responses to emerging infectious diseases.

About NEC Corporation

The NEC Group leverages technology to create social value and promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. NEC Corporation was established in 1899. Today, the NEC Group’s approximately 110,000 employees utilize world-leading AI, security, and communications technologies to solve the most pressing needs of customers and society. For more information, please visit https://www.nec.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

About NEC Bio

NEC Bio is the biotechnology arm of NEC Corporation, headquartered in the Netherlands, and focused on leveraging state-of-the-art AI technologies to address the world's most pressing healthcare challenges. Leveraging cutting-edge science, data, and innovation, NEC Bio is dedicated to developing personalized therapies designed to transform patient outcomes and improve quality of life globally. With a growing international footprint, NEC Bio includes subsidiaries such as NEC OncoImmunity in Oslo, Norway, and NEC Bio Therapeutics in Mannheim, Germany—each contributing specialized expertise across immunotherapy, precision medicine, and translational research. Together, these entities form a collaborative ecosystem committed to accelerating innovation from discovery to patient impact.
To learn more, visit www.nec-bio.com and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest updates.

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