An inspiring visit connecting immunology, vaccine development, and large-scale production for the next generation of vaccinologists
A key talking point in academic circles these days is “Bridging the Gap between Industry and Academia.” The LIVE programme follows the goal of preparing the next generation of immunologists and vaccinologists with wholehearted dedication so that we would be prepared for tackling the real-world challenges. For the very first time, as part of our S1 semester in Barcelona focusing on Immunology, the Şahin promotion was fortunate to visit the headquarters and production facilities of HIPRA in Amer, Girona. HIPRA is one of the global leaders in Animal Health, known for its cutting-edge vaccines, innovative administration devices, and commitment to the One Health approach — preventing zoonotic spillovers such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, it is the first to launch a fully European-made COVID-19 vaccine based on recombinant protein, as part of its new Human Health division.
The visit was led by Helena Rodriguez, Talent Development Technician at HIPRA, who conducted the first session introducing the Amer facility, highlighting the One Health approach, the research facilities, and the opportunities for working at HIPRA. We were then joined by Marta Sitjà, one of the directors of Animal Health leading the Cattle Division. She presented the workflow and process of developing a vaccine in an industrial R&D setup, beginning with the most crucial step — the creation and evaluation of the Target Product Profile (TPP). This framework guides the rest of the process, with every stage of development guided by a single question: “Will this step take us closer to achieving the TPP?” Xavier Gibert and Rosa Collado, Lead Researchers, followed up by elaborating on the subsequent phases, starting with the Discovery Phase — selecting the strain, understanding the mode of infection and how it affects the host, determining the best possible route of administration, and assessing relevant clinical factors. Then comes the process of identifying the antigen and the adjuvant suitable for the particular TPP — on which multiple groups work simultaneously to find the appropriate combination. It culminates in the Pre-clinical Phase, where the safety, efficacy, and dosage of the vaccine are determined.
The last stage, concerning Clinical Trials and HIPRA’s foray into Human Vaccinations, was described by Toni Prenafeta. The three phases involve progressively larger cohorts to monitor for adverse responses, refine the dosage, and adjust the vaccine according to variables such as age and gender. Lastly, we explored the key differences between human and animal vaccine development. In addition, we discussed SPEEDCELL, an approach to develop new biologics within 100 days for fast response to emergencies. As the final part of the presentations, Julia Batlle-Costa guided us through the Regulatory Affairs involved in rolling out a vaccine within a country and the approval processes required to obtain centralized recognition within the EU via the EMA, as well as the potential steps toward worldwide authorization. During the second part of the visit, we toured the R&D and Manufacturing Facilities. The facilities demonstrated both the similarities between industrial and academic research and the stark contrasts — particularly in scale. Observing from outside due to safety protocols, we could truly appreciate the impressive magnitude of manufacturing operations, from benchtop to pilot scale to full production.
Central to our learning was understanding how each stage of vaccine development connects — from defining the Target Product Profile to antigen and adjuvant selection, and finally, to large-scale manufacturing and regulatory approval. Learning how manufacturing of scale takes place, starting from the culture of animal cells, followed by infection with the target virus and the downstream processing to separate the concentrated Vaccine for distribution was simply amazing. The LIVE M1 Şahin cohort is deeply grateful to the HIPRA team for making this visit possible and for providing such an informative, insightful, and interactive experience.
2026.01.12 – Aditya Narayan D S Jenamani (LIVE M1 Sahin Prom’)
Inside HIPRA: Where Vaccine Science Meets Industrial Innovation
An inspiring visit connecting immunology, vaccine development, and large-scale production for the next generation of vaccinologists
A key talking point in academic circles these days is “Bridging the Gap between Industry and Academia.” The LIVE programme follows the goal of preparing the next generation of immunologists and vaccinologists with wholehearted dedication so that we would be prepared for tackling the real-world challenges.
For the very first time, as part of our S1 semester in Barcelona focusing on Immunology, the Şahin promotion was fortunate to visit the headquarters and production facilities of HIPRA in Amer, Girona. HIPRA is one of the global leaders in Animal Health, known for its cutting-edge vaccines, innovative administration devices, and commitment to the One Health approach — preventing zoonotic spillovers such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, it is the first to launch a fully European-made COVID-19 vaccine based on recombinant protein, as part of its new Human Health division.
The visit was led by Helena Rodriguez, Talent Development Technician at HIPRA, who conducted the first session introducing the Amer facility, highlighting the One Health approach, the research facilities, and the opportunities for working at HIPRA.
We were then joined by Marta Sitjà, one of the directors of Animal Health leading the Cattle Division. She presented the workflow and process of developing a vaccine in an industrial R&D setup, beginning with the most crucial step — the creation and evaluation of the Target Product Profile (TPP). This framework guides the rest of the process, with every stage of development guided by a single question: “Will this step take us closer to achieving the TPP?”
Xavier Gibert and Rosa Collado, Lead Researchers, followed up by elaborating on the subsequent phases, starting with the Discovery Phase — selecting the strain, understanding the mode of infection and how it affects the host, determining the best possible route of administration, and assessing relevant clinical factors. Then comes the process of identifying the antigen and the adjuvant suitable for the particular TPP — on which multiple groups work simultaneously to find the appropriate combination. It culminates in the Pre-clinical Phase, where the safety, efficacy, and dosage of the vaccine are determined.
The last stage, concerning Clinical Trials and HIPRA’s foray into Human Vaccinations, was described by Toni Prenafeta. The three phases involve progressively larger cohorts to monitor for adverse responses, refine the dosage, and adjust the vaccine according to variables such as age and gender. Lastly, we explored the key differences between human and animal vaccine development. In addition, we discussed SPEEDCELL, an approach to develop new biologics within 100 days for fast response to emergencies.
As the final part of the presentations, Julia Batlle-Costa guided us through the Regulatory Affairs involved in rolling out a vaccine within a country and the approval processes required to obtain centralized recognition within the EU via the EMA, as well as the potential steps toward worldwide authorization.
During the second part of the visit, we toured the R&D and Manufacturing Facilities. The facilities demonstrated both the similarities between industrial and academic research and the stark contrasts — particularly in scale. Observing from outside due to safety protocols, we could truly appreciate the impressive magnitude of manufacturing operations, from benchtop to pilot scale to full production.
Central to our learning was understanding how each stage of vaccine development connects — from defining the Target Product Profile to antigen and adjuvant selection, and finally, to large-scale manufacturing and regulatory approval. Learning how manufacturing of scale takes place, starting from the culture of animal cells, followed by infection with the target virus and the downstream processing to separate the concentrated Vaccine for distribution was simply amazing.
The LIVE M1 Şahin cohort is deeply grateful to the HIPRA team for making this visit possible and for providing such an informative, insightful, and interactive experience.
2026.01.12 – Aditya Narayan D S Jenamani (LIVE M1 Sahin Prom’)
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