Our inventions and innovations

From discovery to patients: innovation at the heart of the Institut Pasteur's mission

Our mission is to turn scientific discoveries into health solutions available to patients throughout the world. Our approach is rooted in basic research inspired by both scientific curiosity and potential health applications.

Science changing millions of lives: a look back at our flagship patents and their impact on health

A VLP vaccine for hepatitis B – Fighting a silent epidemic since 1981

In the 1970s and 80s, hepatitis B posed an insidious threat, affecting 300 million people worldwide. While researching the molecular biology of the hepatitis B virus (HBV), which can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer, the Institut Pasteur's teams realized that the virus surface protein (HBsAg) spontaneously self-assembles to form virus-like particles (VLPs). 

This key discovery regarding the structure of the virus led the teams to develop a VLP production technique, which was patented in the early 1980s, paving the way for one of the world's most widely used vaccines. 

According to WHO figures, the hepatitis B vaccine prevented more than 310 million infections between 1990 and 2020 and drastically reduced cases of liver cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in many countries.

HIV screening tests: a genuine global health revolution (1983-1986 – present day)

In 1983, scientists at the Institut Pasteur isolated the AIDS virus (HIV-1) for the first time, followed by HIV-2 in 1986. This historic scientific breakthrough was made in response to a critical health emergency with the aim of saving HIV-positive individuals and people with AIDS.

By patenting the molecular characteristics of these viruses, the Institut Pasteur enabled the development of reliable screening tests, which were quickly rolled out at large scale to ensure the safety of blood banks worldwide. 

Since 1985, billions of tests have been carried out throughout the world, preventing the spread of the virus through blood transfusions and saving millions of lives.
 

Screening for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) – Improving detection to improve protection (since 1994)

Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by specific strains of human papillomavirus (HPV). In the 1990s, scientists at the Institut Pasteur identified the exact genotypes responsible for this disease (HPV 16, 18, etc.) and developed molecular detection methods (PCR and hybridization), which were patented in 1994. Understanding the pathophysiology of these viruses means that tumors can be targeted before they develop.

Primary screening tests were developed, providing a more effective alternative to the traditional smear test. In France, 3 million women are currently tested every year. Cervical cancer mortality rates have fallen by 30 to 50% in countries with widespread screening.

The first rapid diagnostic test for dengue – A race against time since 1999

The mosquito-borne flavivirus dengue is one of the most widespread tropical diseases responsible for hundreds of millions of infections every year. In the late 1990s, the stark reality was that patients could only be diagnosed after they had recovered, precluding any early treatment.

Our scientists conducted basic research leading to the discovery that large quantities of the virus' NS1 protein are released into the bloodstream in the first days of infection, a major medical breakthrough for diagnosing acute infections. 

This biological marker was patented in 1999, and an industrial collaboration led to the development of a test marketed worldwide in 2006. It was clinically validated in record time thanks to the global Pasteur Network.

Now a global gold standard, this test is capable of detecting dengue from the first day of hospitalization, ensuring timely identification of the most severe forms of the disease such as dengue shock syndrome, and thus saving lives, particularly in hospitals in tropical areas.
 

Gene therapies – Curing patients who were previously incurable (since 2003)

An Institut Pasteur team that was studying the workings of retroviruses like HIV identified a key structural element known as a "DNA flap" – a specific sequence that optimizes entry of genetic material into the cell nucleus. This fundamental virology discovery led to the design of ultra-efficient lentiviral vectors capable of correcting defective genes in cells. 

Patented in 2003 and licensed to an industry partner in 2011, this technology has provided the basis for several promising treatments with approval in the US for:

• refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (2017);
• refractory multiple myeloma (2021) – a form of relapsing bone marrow cancer;
• cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy – a rare degenerative neurological disease affecting boys;
• beta thalassemia (severe anemia) and sickle cell disease (an inherited genetic disorder affecting red blood cells).

These treatments represent a major therapeutic breakthrough for diseases which previously had no long-term solution.
 

COVID-19: development of the first serological assays and hospital diagnostic tests in France (2020)

In January 2020, in response to the emergence of an unknown coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in China, teams from the National Reference Center (CNR) for Respiratory Viruses at the Institut Pasteur applied the basic coronavirus expertise gained during the SARS and MERS outbreaks. In just a few days, they developed a specific, highly sensitive molecular diagnostic test (RT-PCR) capable of detecting the virus in the initial infection stages. 

This remarkable technical achievement was based on a decade of basic research on viral genetics and amplification methods. Testing was a vital element in the response to this critical health emergency, helping to contain the pandemic.

Rather than commercially exploiting the patent for this test, the Institut Pasteur took the bold decision of publishing the protocol free of charge on January 23, 2020 and sharing it with WHO as a global gold standard in February 2020. This ethical decision provided hundreds of hospital laboratories in France and worldwide with a reliable tool straight away, before the arrival of commercial kits.

Millions of tests could therefore be performed in France over the first weeks of the outbreak, saving lives through early detection and identification of chains of transmission, at a time when the country had no other means of testing.

In this specific case, the Institut Pasteur chose to forgo license revenue (which could have been considerable) so that it could make the protocol available immediately for the benefit of global public health.

AVATAR MEDICAL: observing the anatomical complexity of the human body (2020)

What if a surgeon could explore a patient's anatomy in 3D before they even reached the operating room? 

From 2018 to 2020, research on human-machine interactions conducted at the Institut Pasteur in collaboration with clinicians from the Institut Curie led to a major algorithmic innovation, namely machine learning (algorithms using statistical models to make predictions and classifications) capable of instantly converting 2D medical images (e.g. from MRI or CT scans) into highly accurate 3D models without losing the raw information.

This virtualization process led to a patent and a spin-off (a company set up based on knowledge and technology derived from research) named Avatar Medical, which was officially launched in July 2020. 

In 2025, the "Avatar Medical Vision" solution was granted CE marking, clearing it for use in European hospitals. 

This virtual reality tool generates 3D "avatars" of patients from standard imaging data, offering the following benefits:

• helping patients understand their condition and treatment plan during medical visits;

• facilitating collaboration between practitioners during interdisciplinary meetings;

• optimizing pre-operative surgical planning;

• providing valuable support for medical teams during surgery.

An innovation created in a research laboratory... to provide support in the operating room!

Enodia Therapeutics and DNA repair mechanisms (2025)

Enodia Therapeutics is a startup spun out of the Institut Pasteur's laboratories. It specializes in the development of novel therapeutic approaches targeting DNA repair mechanisms, with oncology applications mainly anticipated in the form of more targeted and effective cancer treatments.   

Promising vaccine candidates for tackling chikungunya, hemorrhagic fevers and malaria (2026)

Three vaccine projects co-developed by the Institut Pasteur are set to reach critical phases in 2026. 
Their targets are chikungunya, hemorrhagic fevers and malaria, potentially fatal diseases that are still too often neglected or lacking effective treatments.

• A chikungunya vaccine designed for the most severely affected countries

The Institut Pasteur has developed a vaccine candidate based on innovative patented technology involving a vector derived from the measles vaccine. 
Phase I and II clinical trials have already been successfully completed for this vaccine, with a phase I/III trial currently being prepared. It has been designed so it can be produced locally in the most exposed regions of Africa and South America.

• Two vaccines for viral hemorrhagic fevers

Two vaccines are currently being developed using the MOPEVAC pandemic preparedness platform:

1. A pentavalent vaccine providing protection against five hemorrhagic fevers in South America in a single injection. 

2. A vaccine for Lassa fever, endemic in West Africa, that also offers effective protection against other arenaviruses.

    

• Next-generation messenger RNA malaria vaccines

Lastly, the Institut Pasteur is working on mRNA malaria vaccines, which are designed to target several parasite life cycle stages to offer enhanced protection. Funding has recently been awarded, which will allow this research to progress to the next phase of investigation.