"Find a Way to Break Reality": How Centivax Brought a Universal Flu Vaccine to Clinic

https://nfx.com/post/centivax-universal-flu-vaccine-phase-1
  • Centivax entered Phase 1 human trials for a universal flu vaccine.
    • 13-year development timeline; trials running in Australia now.
    • Phase 1b: ~300 volunteers across US, UK, Netherlands.
  • Current flu vaccines are a $7B market but <50% effective.
    • ~700,000 deaths/year; guidance strains are 2–3 years stale.
  • Tested against 24 strains — historical, current, and pandemic variants.
    • Outperforms commercial vaccines even on their own guidance strains.
  • Platform extends beyond flu: pan-herpes Alzheimer’s preventative, malaria, oncology, universal antivenom.
  • “Epitope focusing” tech generates both antibody and T-cell immunity.
  • Strategy: achieve Phase III approval, then partner with pharma for distribution.
    • Gates Foundation Grand Challenge Award (2019); board includes Steve Jurvetson.

Omri Drory (NFX General Partner) · 2026-02-10 · Read on nfx.com

Type Link
Added Feb 10, 2026
Modified Apr 15, 2026
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