The year 2025 will mark the definitive relaunch of the Siena Biotech Hub Foundation. The Italian government aims to position it at the heart of the country’s future defense strategy against pandemics, pending the introduction of the new Pandemic Plan 2024-2028, funded through the latest budget law.
The Foundation will lead the European anti-pandemic network, which also involves other countries such as France, Belgium, and Germany, with a total funding of €130 million, of which nearly €33 million will be allocated to Italy. The project, promoted by the European Regions Research and Innovation Network (Errin), spans a range of activities from infectious disease surveillance to research and the development of future vaccines, including for the anticipated ‘Disease X.’ This initiative aims to transform the Biotech Hub into a fully-fledged “anti-pandemic hub,” a concept first introduced under the Draghi government over two years ago to rapidly respond to pandemic emergencies.
The €330 million project is being led by Rino Rappuoli, a renowned scientist known as the father of vaccines for diseases such as meningococcal meningitis. However, the last two years have been challenging. The Foundation lacked a statute until summer and its managerial structure remained undefined until six months ago when Gianluca Polifrone, previously with AIFA, was appointed as General Director, becoming a key member of the board, nominated by Italy’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Giancarlo Giorgetti.
Now, the operational and managerial machinery is functioning, and the first results are becoming evident with 2025 research projects. A major highlight is the $2.8 million funding received from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH-NIAID) for the development of vaccines against several virus families that are under special surveillance by the World Health Organization, such as rubulavirus and peribunyavirus. Additionally, the University of Siena has secured €1.2 million to enhance its platform for monoclonal antibody development in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. A further €33 million project from the European Vaccine Hub, led by the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), focuses on preparing and responding to future pandemic emergencies.
The Siena Biotech Hub Foundation counts as founding members the Ministry of University and Research, the Ministry of Health, which oversees the National Anti-Pandemic Center (CNAP)—a branch of the Foundation with dedicated resources from the National Health Plan (PNC)—and the Ministry of Made in Italy, which is about to appoint the fifth member of the Board of Directors.