VAC4EU is a collaborative European network facilitating vaccine safety and effectiveness studies. Since its launch in 2020 as the sustainability solution for IMI-funded project ADVANCE, Teamit has played an important role in supporting VAC4EU’s development as a leading European research network for post-authorisation vaccine monitoring. Over the past five years, this strategic partnership has helped deliver coordinated, high-quality real-world evidence (RWE) studies across Europe and Teamit has contributed to real-world impact in study coordination, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable RWE delivery. In light of VAC4EU’s 5th anniversary event, which took place early this month in Brussels, Teamit reflects on five years of collaboration with VAC4EU.
From ADVANCE to VAC4EU: over 10 years enabling evidence-based decision making on vaccines
The H1N1 pandemic in 2009 highlighted the need for better pandemic preparedness worldwide, specifically in monitoring coverage, benefits and risks of vaccines. In the wake of this pandemic, alliances were formed across Europe to attempt to create a better standardised system for disease and vaccine monitoring.
The ADVANCE (Accelerated Development of VAccine beNefit-risk Collaboration in Europe) project was an IMI-funded initiative which ran from 2013 to 2019 with the aim of creating a unified approach for post-marketing vaccine surveillance (this is, monitoring of vaccine safety and effectiveness in the population, in real-time) across Europe. The project brought together a range of stakeholders including research organisations, marketing authorisation holders, medicines regulators and public health bodies to develop and test a collaborative, standardised system for generation of real-world evidence on vaccine safety and effectiveness.
The non-profit VAC4EU was established in 2019 as the sustainability solution for ADVANCE, with the aim of implementing the now tested methodology, best practice and tools to create a vaccine monitoring collaboration in Europe. Spearheaded by Miriam Sturkenboom, the network began work in 2020 and as the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the globe, an opportunity arose for VAC4EU to coordinate the first post-authorisation safety and effectiveness studies for the COVID-19 vaccines reaching the market.
Building the VAC4EU network
Teamit has been involved from VAC4EU’s earliest stages in 2020, working closely with founding members to provide business development support. Formal incorporation as a member in 2021 saw Teamit CEO Eva Molero elected to VAC4EU’s Executive Board contributing to the VAC4EU strategic roadmap and business development.
Over time, this collaboration has evolved from foundational planning to hands-on support in study acquisition and management, operations, and long-term sustainability supporting the network’s mission to deliver timely and robust real-world evidence on vaccines and cutting-edge methodology.
Moreover, in complex, multinational research environments, trust and strong working relationships are essential. Teamit’s role focuses not only on operational delivery, but also on enabling the conditions for successful scientific cooperation.
Key contributions by Teamit include:
- Study management and stakeholder coordination for pharma- and public-funded vaccine safety and effectiveness studies based on pan-European Real-World Data (RWD)
- Partner engagement and contracting across a growing pan-European network
- Strategic input into network sustainability, communications and development
- Business development strategy and actions for the creation of vaccine study opportunities across private and public stakeholders
Facilitating high-impact, multi-country RWE studies
Together, Teamit has contributed to the delivery of a number of real-world evidence studies with VAC4EU involving research partners from across Europe, producing data used in regulatory decision-making at European and international level.
Examples include:
- Marketing authorisation holder-funded post-authorisation safety studies (PASS) on mRNA and viral vector COVID-19 vaccines.
- Participation in the EMA-funded post-authorisation safety (PASS) and effectiveness (PAES) studies for COVID-19 vaccines – Covid-Vaccine-Monitor (CVM) and Covid Vaccines Effectiveness (CoVE).
- Participation in the EMA-funded project for the establishment of a pan- European network of real-world data (RWD) sources to evaluate vaccine safety signals – SAFETY-VAC.
Our collaboration ensures studies are mobilised rapidly, governed effectively, and executed to high regulatory standards even in fast-moving or emergency contexts.
Towards a stronger, more sustainable RWE ecosystem
Looking ahead, Teamit remains committed to supporting VAC4EU’s continued growth as a European leader in real-world evidence generation for vaccine monitoring.
“The greatest achievement from the last five years is the power of collaboration. During the pandemic, our united efforts across all members enabled us to deliver robust evidence to support critical public health decisions. This same spirit continues to drive us forward, applying our experience to new domains as we grow and pursue our shared vision.” – Eva Molero, Teamit CEO and Founder & VAC4EU Executive Board Member
The recent VAC4EU 5-year anniversary event on 4 November, where Teamit CEO Eva Molero gave closing remarks, was an opportunity to celebrate major achievements of the network as well as trusted partnerships that made them possible. Teamit is honoured to have been part of this journey from the start, and we look forward to continuing to work together to shape the RWE landscape across Europe.
