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The Finnish state launches a commercial vaccine research company; plans underway to merge the vaccine research activities of THL and Tampere University with the new company

Published on 18.12.2020
Tampere University
The Finnish state has decided to strengthen the independence of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) regarding vaccine procurement decisions by transferring its commercial vaccine research activities to a separate limited liability company. The possibility of merging the clinical vaccine research activities of the Vaccine Research Centre of Tampere University with the new company is also being investigated.

The company to be established would be a special task company of the state, with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health responsible for its ownership steering. The Finnish state would be the company’s majority shareholder. Tampere University Foundation would become a minority shareholder and assign the clinical vaccine research activities carried out at the Vaccine Research Centre of Tampere University to the new company.  

The Board of Tampere University Foundation will decide on the merger in early 2021. 

“The purpose of the proposed arrangement is to increase the strategic impact of the clinical vaccine research undertaken in Finland, support the economic sustainability of the activities and maximise operational synergies. In-depth investigations are underway to examine the possibility of merging the clinical vaccine research activities of the Vaccine Research Centre of Tampere University with the new special task company. The Board of Tampere University Foundation will not make the decision until the matter has been thoroughly investigated,” says President of Tampere University Mari Walls. 

The limited liability company is due to launch its operations in early 2021.   

Press release by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (in Finnish)