Health and life science

Mobilising billions for the COVID-19 response

In collaboration with the European Commission, the EIB Group is using existing financial instruments like the InnovFin Infectious Disease Finance Facility to support projects that work towards halting the spread of, finding a cure for and developing a vaccine against COVID-19.

BioNTech and CureVac are two of the companies financed by the EIB to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, while Pluristem, Atriva Therapeutics and Immunic benefit from EIB backing to work on potential therapies.

Scope Fluidics has received EIB support to continue their work on new, affordable methods to detect pathogens like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

As part of the Team Europe effort, the Bank also supports the COVAX facility, whose goal is to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world.

At the COVAX AMC Investment Opportunity in January 2022, President Hoyer announced that the EIB would make an extra €300 million available to enable African countries to access additional doses through COVAX.

Mobilising billions for the COVID-19 response

BioNTech advances towards COVID-19 vaccine with EIB backing

When Özlem Türeci and her husband, Uğur Şahin, announced that the COVID-19 vaccine developed by their company, BioNTech, had excellent results in its latest tests, the couple took a short break from their round-the-clock research schedule. But only long enough to drink a cup of tea.

Conscious of the vital nature of their research, the two immune engineers have led the Mainz-based company to the frontrunner’s spot in the race for a vaccine.

Find out more in our blog story

Health projects eligible for financing

Hospitals and infrastructure investments
Medical research, education and training
Health informatics and innovation
Integrated and people-centred approach to healthcare networks, especially involving cross-border cooperation
Services providing universal access to safe and affordable care and designed to meet the varying needs of people across the course of their lives

Health Solutions

Life science is a vital solution for crucial global problems like COVID-19. EIB life sciences experts have been at the heart of the effort to combat COVID-19, financing the first vaccine, treatments and diagnostics, as well as working on many other diseases. Health Solutions gives you their insights. Go inside the battle to beat COVID-19 — and to guard against future pandemics.

2 December 2021

Health Solutions: Caught out by a pandemic

Creating the infrastructure to develop quick, new diagnostics was a major achievement of the COVID-19 pandemic. But we need to keep financing innovation to be ready for the next big one.

Covid-19 Research, innovation and technology SMEs Health and life sciences
6 December 2021

Health Solutions: The pandemic next time

Even before COVID-19 is beaten, it’s time for governments, scientists, health systems and financial and development institutions to assess the lessons of the coronavirus and set new standards for pandemic preparedness

Covid-19 Germany European Union Health and life sciences
10 December 2021

Education after the pandemic

COVID-19 schools closures and the switch to distance learning left many children behind. Digital education tools could help them catch up and bridge the learning gaps created by lockdowns and other disruptions.

Infrastructure Covid-19 Education and training Research, innovation and technology
22 December 2021

Health Solutions: Gearing up pharmaceutical manufacturing

Pharmaceutical drugs developed over the last century have made our lives better and longer. But scientific breakthroughs and novel diseases are pushing the development of new drugs and therapies. If we want to make them available to everybody, we need to rethink the way we manufacture medicines

Health and life sciences
10 January 2022

Health Solutions: Why risky ideas are good in a crisis

To get out of this pandemic and avoid future trouble, we must take more chances and increase innovation in COVID vaccines and life sciences research

Health and life sciences
10 January 2022

Health Solutions: Searching for the magic pills

Vaccines are getting all the attention, but COVID treatments for people who get sick are just as important to end this pandemic

Covid-19 Germany European Union Research, innovation and technology Health and life sciences

EIB health projects on the map

From funding hospital renovations to financing medical equipment, the EIB supports the health and life sciences sector. Explore our health projects in Europe using this interactive map.

See the map

Partnering to support healthcare and research

The EIB cooperates with international partners to provide financing for medical research and improve healthcare.

Together with the European Commission, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the WHO and UNICEF, the EIB will provide €500 million for investment in support of the Global Polio Eradication Programme.
Together with the European Commission, the EIB has established HERA Invest, a €100 million guarantee to support advanced research and development investments in the health sector.
The EIB joins the EU-led global Pledging Conference, contributing €4.9 billion in partnership with the European Commission to help end the COVID-19 pandemic.
World Health Organization (WHO) and EIB strengthen efforts to combat COVID-19 and build resilient health systems
An advisory agreement with Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to accelerate the development of vaccines against infectious diseases
EU Malaria Fund: investment from the European Union, the EIB, Investitionsbank Berlin, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other European national and private actors to support scientifically promising projects that aim to prevent and treat malaria
Partnership with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to help governments better respond to emergencies and natural disasters
EIB and National Technological Innovation Authority of Israel agree to cooperate in the field of bio-convergence
AMR Action Fund: Teaming up to tackle antimicrobial resistance

Find out more about our collaborations

Browse our projects

EIB projects under appraisal

EIB financed projects

Contact us

We offer a wide range of financial products, as well as technical assistance through the European Investment Advisory Hub and the European PPP Expertise Centre (EPEC).

For enquiries regarding the financing facilities, activity, organisation and objectives of the EIB, contact the Information Desk
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Tel. +352 4379-22000
Frequently asked questions

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press@eib.org
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Case studies

Real stories speak louder than general policies. Discover the impact of our projects

14 July 2021

Team Europe visit Senegal to reinforce the manufacturing and access to COVID-19 vaccines in Africa

At a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Dakar, the President of the Republic of Senegal, His Excellence Macky Sall, European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton and representatives of Germany, France, Belgium, the European Investment Bank and other development finance institutions, including the International Finance Corporation (IFC), confirmed details of Team Europe support to accelerate project preparation, expand manufacturing capacities and undertake technical feasibility work to support vaccine production by the Institut Pasteur in Dakar. These will be crucial to unlock large-scale investment in the new plant. The new plant will be built over the next 18 months and will equip the African continent with a state-of-the-art facility for the production of authorised COVID-19 vaccines.

Find out more here

Partners Team Europe Covid-19 Senegal Africa, Caribbean, Pacific countries + OCT Development Institutional Health and life sciences
11 March 2021

Providing access to healthcare for Moroccan citizens - Hospital of Salé

The EU and its bank the EIB, supported the construction, renovation and modernization of 16 hospitals in Morocco, with a loan worth of €70 million and a grant of more than €13 million, providing the Kingdom with state-of-the-art equipment and infrastructure enabling staff to work in better conditions. Hospital of Salé is one of them.

The new hospital improved regional healthcare and health services thanks to its new infrastructure and modern technical equipment. Furthermore, during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis, the hospital was chosen as a regional reference center to take care of patients with COVID-19. The successful finalization of this flagship hospital demonstrates Team Europe's concrete impact on people’s lives. Discover more about the hospital of Salé in our video!

Morocco Mediterranean countries Development Health and life sciences
21 May 2021

Scaling up healthcare resilience in Africa

The EIB is today, alongside the European Commission, inviting African and European finance partners to join a new platform aimed at scaling up health resilience in Africa. The new Sustainable Healthcare Industry for Resilience in Africa (SHIRA) financing platform will step up the coordination of efforts to foster private sector investments as part of the Team Europe initiative to improve health security and resilience in Africa and boost local manufacturing capacity of vaccines and treatments.

Development Health and life sciences
15 December 2020

Vaccine solidarity

A ground-breaking global initiative to ease the health and economic impact of the pandemic means that poor countries will get access to COVID-19 vaccine in Africa

Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus Mediterranean countries Research, innovation and technology Development Health and life sciences
10 December 2020

Treat, test, vaccinate

Key investments support a full range of biotechnology and medical responses to the pandemic with COVID-19 vaccines, therapies, diagnostics

Covid-19 Germany Israel Finland Poland France Mediterranean countries European Union Research, innovation and technology Health and life sciences
24 June 2020

One minute warning for epilepsy

Spanish company’s seizure brain monitor delivers early warning of attacks

Technology Spain European Union Research, innovation and technology Health and life sciences
12 October 2020

Sweet finance

Jennewein’s progress as a biotech company fermenting synthesised human breast-milk sugars illustrates the success of venture debt in financing European innovation

Equity funds Venture debt EFSI impact Germany Denmark European Union Research, innovation and technology Agriculture Venture capital & equity SMEs Health and life sciences
5 May 2020

Placenta cells to fight COVID-19

Can placenta cell therapy cure COVID-19? Israeli-European firm Pluristem is on track to show how placenta cells help the body heal itself.

Venture debt Covid-19 Germany Israel Mediterranean countries European Union Innovation Research, innovation and technology Venture capital & equity Health and life sciences
6 April 2020

The genome e-volution

We have made great progress, but we are still vulnerable and our common commitment to fight global health challenges is not yet strong enough. Despite our knowledge, despite new technologies, without concentrated and global efforts we are limited in our success.

Health and life sciences
7 February 2019

How to make healthcare investments supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

… or at least economically more sustainable.

Investment Development Venture capital & equity SMEs Health and life sciences
24 July 2018

Health is wealth

The lack of surgical care in many countries is unfair to a large part of the world’s populations and holding back many economies. Emmanuel M. Makasa, a Zambian surgeon and diplomat, is fighting to make surgery accessible to all people.

The findings, interpretations and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Investment Bank.

Africa, Caribbean, Pacific countries + OCT Innovation Research, innovation and technology Development Venture capital & equity SMEs Health and life sciences
5 December 2017

Molecular diagnostics save lives and money

Three European start-ups are developing automated molecular diagnostics tests that slash the time it takes to detect and treat serious gastro-intestinal and respiratory diseases for patients admitted in emergency departments and intensive care units.

Spain Germany Finland France European Union Research, innovation and technology Health and life sciences
20 June 2018

3 new ways to treat cancer

Companies developing new cancer treatments have a hard time raising the money to carry out their research, so the European Investment Bank finances them

Venture debt EFSI impact Austria Germany France European Union Research, innovation and technology Venture capital & equity Health and life sciences
15 May 2018

After 50 years, a new hospital for Niš

Nis Clinical Centre stalled for a half century, until EIB financing helped build Serbia’s most modern clinical centre.

Infrastructure Partners Economic resilience Western Balkans Serbia Enlargement Countries Infrastructure Development Migration Venture capital & equity Institutional SMEs Health and life sciences
23 November 2017

4 steps to rebuild Europe’s economy

The EIB Investment Report sees a strengthening Europe, but more investment is needed for small firms and infrastructure. Here’s what the EU bank’s economists say we need to do.

Infrastructure Economy Finance Climate Research, innovation and technology Transport Climate action and environment Energy Economics Health and life sciences
23 May 2016

Academic spinouts: From Paris universities to the market

European Investment Fund backs France’s first academic spinouts fund

Universities France European Union Innovation Education and training Research, innovation and technology Health and life sciences
17 November 2016

Africa health: A model to bridge the gap between rich and poor

Kibuga Karithi fulfils a vow to his dying wife and brings accessible healthcare to a Kenyan region

Infrastructure Africa, Caribbean, Pacific countries + OCT Infrastructure Health and life sciences
17 January 2017

Zika vaccine: microbes to save babies

European biotech company Valneva is on the road to a Zika vaccine that’s safe for pregnant women

InnovFin Innovation Research, innovation and technology Health and life sciences
6 February 2017

Medical innovation: How a 2-year-old’s pain led to a big idea

With one drop of blood, five minutes and the right financing, a Portuguese company revolutionises medical diagnostics

Portugal European Union Innovation Research, innovation and technology Health and life sciences
24 May 2017

Genes unite a divided Cyprus

The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics boosts its research and patient care—for Greek and Turkish Cypriots

Cyprus European Union Innovation Research, innovation and technology Health and life sciences
22 December 2017

Christmastime at the EIB: mistletoe, wine and renewable energy

Looking back at the year, how has the EIB contributed towards this holiday season being a success?

Science Mexico Asia and Latin America Innovation SMEs Climate Education and training Research, innovation and technology Agriculture Development Climate action and environment Forestry Energy Circular economy SMEs