In Western Norway, a research breakthrough decades in the making is now on the path toward protecting some of the world's most vulnerable children. Scientists at the University of Bergen (UiB) and NORCE have developed technology that targets one of the leading bacterial causes of severe diarrheal disease, and it has just been licensed to the international vaccine company Valneva for further development.
The technology focuses on enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), a bacterium responsible for millions of diarrheal cases each year. While the illness may seem routine in wealthier countries, it poses a serious threat to children in low- and middle-income countries, where severe intestinal infections can have lasting consequences for growth and development. "ETEC infections are a major cause of diarrheal disease among children in low- and middle-income countries," said Professor Halvor Sommerfelt at UiB's Faculty of Medicine.
The journey to this moment stretches back to the 1980s, when Bergen first established an ETEC research program. In 2009, a more focused effort began, zeroing in on the human heat-stable toxin (STh) — one of the bacterium's key disease-causing molecules and one of the most stubborn targets in vaccine science. "We have not been looking for a single breakthrough," said researcher Pål Puntervoll at NORCE. "Instead, we have worked systematically to address the challenges that have made STh such a difficult vaccine target."
The work brought together an international consortium: UiB and NORCE collaborated with Institut Pasteur, the Indian Institute of Science, Tulane University, and South Dakota State University. VIS (Vestlandets Innovasjonsselskap) facilitated the agreement with Valneva, managing the commercial rights on behalf of the research institutions.
What makes this milestone especially significant is its dual scope. The licensing agreement grants Valneva exclusive rights to advance the technology for commercial markets, but it also includes a defined pathway toward public procurement programs in low- and middle-income countries — where the need is greatest. "We are especially pleased that the agreement also supports future access in low- and middle-income countries, where the need is greatest," said Stine Fiksdal, CEO of VIS.
No broadly effective ETEC vaccine exists yet. The researchers hope their technology — built on rational design and decades of accumulated knowledge — can help change that. "Our long-term objective is to contribute to vaccines that can reduce the substantial disease burden ETEC imposes on children in low- and middle-income countries," said Sommerfelt and Puntervoll in a joint statement. "The licensing agreement with Valneva is an important step toward that goal."