On Jun. 2, 2026, The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) announced New funding will support the continued development of a pioneering vaccine platform that uses protein-tagging technology in nanoparticles to help speed up the development of vaccines against epidemic and pandemic threats, including H5N1 avian influenza and a future Disease X. The technology could also support more potent and targeted vaccine delivery and help boost immune responses.

CEPI will provide up to US $9.7 million in additional funding to US-based POP Biotechnologies (POP BIO) to advance its SNAP™ (Spontaneous Nanoliposome Antigen Particleization) protein vaccine platform into a Phase 1 clinical trial. This builds on an initial US $1.5 million CEPI investmentannounced in July 2025, which supported early-stage research into the technology.

POP BIO’s SNAP platform has been designed to speed up the development of nanoparticle-based vaccine candidates while also streamlining the purification of the antigens used in them. The new funding will now support the continued development and early clinical testing of a SNAP-based vaccine candidate targeting H5N1 avian influenza — a virus that has spread widely in birds and increasingly infected mammals, raising concerns about its pandemic potential. 

Through an innovative approach, the SNAP proprietary technology uses a small protein tag attached to vaccine antigens — a purification technique commonly used in protein research — which is also used to embed them into small, spherical lipid particles known as liposomes, helping stimulate and enhance immune responses. Compared to traditional approaches, this design improves how antigens are presented to the immune system, helping generate stronger and more focused immune responses. Crucially, the enhanced technique could rapidly remove potential contaminants from vaccine antigens in as little as 30 minutes.

SNAP’s versatile plug-and-play design could also be beneficial in an outbreak, as antigens from a disease-causing pathogen can be easily and quickly “plugged” into the vaccine platform for faster development and deployment. With fewer, less complex stages involved in its purification process, the technology is expected to improve manufacturing efficiency compared to traditional protein vaccine approaches, producing higher antigen yields that help extend available vaccine supplies and allow more people to be vaccinated.