EIB, European Commission and VaxThera boost Latin America’s vaccine capacity by up to 250 million doses a year

• The EIB is providing a €15 million venture loan as the first tranche of an approved €35 million financing package to increase VaxThera's vaccine and biologics manufacturing capacity in Colombia.
• The investment is supported by the European Commission through Global Gateway.
• The financing will support the expansion of an integrated manufacturing facility, enabling VaxThera to produce up to 250 million doses annually (600 to 700 million doses in Pandemic mode) of liquid and lyophilized biologicals. It is complemented by a €1.5 million technical assistance grant for three vaccine candidates in VaxThera's research and development portfolio.
• The project will strengthen regional access to vaccines, supply chain resilience and preparedness for emerging infectious diseases with pandemic potential.

The European Investment Bank (EIB), in partnership with the European Commission, is providing a €15 million venture loan to VaxThera, a Colombian biotechnology company developing, manufacturing and commercialising vaccines and biopharmaceutical products. The deal is being announced in New York on the margins of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. This is the first tranche of an approved €35 million financing package. The financing will support the construction, fitting out and validation of the second phase of the company's commercial-scale facility for producing vaccines and biological medicines. It will also fund technology transfer and research and development activities addressing areas of high unmet medical need.

The investment will support an integrated manufacturing facility, enabling VaxThera to complement its existing capacity with end-to-end vaccine manufacturing capabilities, including upstream processing and precision filling. This will enable the company to manufacture its own vaccines, subject to regulatory approval, and provide contract development and manufacturing services for other biological products.

"This investment will strengthen vaccine manufacturing and research capacity in Colombia, enabling VaxThera to produce up to 250 million doses a year and helping Latin America prepare for future health emergencies. By supporting innovation, skills and technology transfer, the EIB is contributing to a more resilient regional health ecosystem and advancing the European Union's Global Gateway priorities," said EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle.

Jozef Síkela, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, added: "Global health resilience must be built locally through investment, innovation and partnerships that last. This investment brings together European technology and expertise with Colombian manufacturing and research capacity and creates skilled jobs, stronger research and development, and more reliable access to essential health products for both Colombia and the broader Latin American region. This is what Global Gateway is about - connecting strengths, creating opportunities, and building resilience".

"The EIB's support represents an important step in VaxThera's ambition to build integrated vaccine research and manufacturing capabilities in Colombia. It will allow us to advance our infrastructure and innovation pipeline, develop specialised local talent and contribute to a more reliable supply of essential vaccines for Colombia and the wider region," said Professor Jorge Emilio Osorio, CEO of VaxThera.

The operation is backed by the European Commission through the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) Accelerating Human Development (HDX) guarantee. Under this guarantee, the EIB invests in the healthcare sector through corporate loans, venture loans and volume or procurement guarantees, with these investments matched by new health investments and grants from the Gates Foundation. This Global Gateway initiative supports investment in health systems, health research and development, skills, and the manufacture and delivery of vaccines, medicines and health technologies in partner countries.

Under the HDX guarantee, a €1.5 million technical assistance grant will be provided to support VaxThera's research and development pipeline of three vaccine candidates for infectious diseases of regional and global importance. By anchoring research and end-to-end manufacturing capacity in Colombia, the project will help address the country's reliance on imported vaccines and biological medicines, while contributing to a more diversified and resilient supply of critical vaccines across Latin America and enhancing regional capacity to respond rapidly to future epidemics and pandemics.

The project addresses a financing gap affecting innovative biotechnology companies, where high upfront investment needs, long development timelines and scientific and regulatory risks can limit access to long-term capital. EIB support will help VaxThera expand specialised infrastructure, advance its research pipeline and mobilise further investment in Colombia's biotechnology sector.

The operation will also contribute to human capital development by creating high-value jobs across scientific and technical fields, supporting the development of local skills and reinforcing Colombia's domestic biotechnology ecosystem. By combining manufacturing, innovation and technology transfer, the investment will strengthen institutional capacity for pandemic preparedness and help position Colombia as a regional hub for vaccine development and production.

Background information

EIB Group  

The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group is the financing arm of the European Union, owned by the 27 Member States, and one of the largest multilateral development banks in the world. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion in new financing and advisory services for over 870 high-impact projects under eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, territorial cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, strong global partnerships and the savings and investments union. Beyond long-term loans for large infrastructure, the EIB Group crowds in private investment for high-risk innovative projects and businesses, with a growing role in Europe's markets for venture debt, venture capital, guarantees and securitisations.

The European Investment Fund (EIF) is the subsidiary of the EIB Group specialised in providing guarantees, securitisation and equity to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized businesses and startups across Europe. Acting as an anchor investor, through its extensive network of partnering banks and investment funds, the EIF mobilises private investment and nurtures the ecosystem of venture capital funds to support innovative European entrepreneurs.

With the support of all 27 EU governments, the EIF has joined forces with institutional investors in a pan-European alliance to mobilise up to €80 billion for investment into innovative companies scaling up to become global leaders. The joint effort will expand the size and scope of the highly successful European Tech Champions Initiative, which has helped create 15 European mega-funds and scale 47 companies, including 15 unicorns, since being established three years ago.

Photos of the EIB Group's representatives and headquarters, logo files and video B-roll for media use are available here. 

About EFSD+

The guarantee announced today falls under the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+), the main financial instrument supporting the EU's Global Gateway strategy. It is part of a €26.7 billion guarantee envelope that supports EIB lending outside the EU during the period 2021-2027. EFSD+ guarantees act as a safety net for lenders, covering potential losses if projects fail. If projects succeed, the guarantee remains unused, keeping EU funds available for other projects. In blended finance operations the EU combines a small grant contribution with loans to attract additional public and private funding, maximising the impact of projects.

Accelerating Human Development (HDX) guarantee

The Accelerating Human Development guarantee is a Global Gateway initiative under EFSD+. Implemented by the EIB and supported through a partnership with the Gates Foundation, it facilitates investment in health infrastructure and systems, manufacturing capacity for health products and technologies, health research and development, digitalisation, skills, and the production and delivery of vaccines and medicines. It is designed to strengthen services and biopharmaceutical supply chains while fostering economic growth and productivity in low- and middle-income countries.

About VaxThera

VaxThera S.A.S. is a Colombian biotechnology company focused on advancing vaccines, biologics and advanced therapies through integrated research, development and manufacturing capabilities. The company works to strengthen health sovereignty, expand access to innovative health solutions and contribute to more resilient biopharmaceutical supply chains in Colombia and Latin America. For more information, visit https://www.vaxthera.com.