PReViX: better modelling of the risk of disease X emergence

Pandemic preparedness for respiratory virus X: integrative modelling from early cases to early health countermeasures.

Last updated on 24 February 2026

In brief

Project
Scientific study

Funding
PEPR MIE – 2024 Laureate

Amount of fund
1.416 M€

Duration
36 months

Consortium
Univ. Montpellier, EHESP, Univ. Bordeaux, Univ. Paris Cité, Collège de France, Institut Pasteur, Sorbonne Université, IRD, Inserm

Target pathogenes
Respiratory diseases

Project objectives

Improving early surveillance and control of emerging respiratory viruses

PreViX aims to develop a scientific and health framework for respiratory viruses that have not yet been documented. Using modelling to integrate expertise in public health, virology, infectious diseases, phylogenomics and health psychology, it aims to develop an operational framework of new methods for the early surveillance and control of an emerging respiratory virus, based on the initial data available, which is heterogeneous in both nature and quality.

Strengthening the ability to anticipate a new crisis

PReViX responds to the critical need for integrative pandemic preparedness tools. The project aims to formalise, through a transdisciplinary and quantitative approach, objective criteria for qualifying a health crisis caused by a new respiratory virus, from its early detection to the escalation of countermeasures. It strengthens the national capacity for anticipation, methodological innovation and the sustainable structuring of research and public health in crisis situations.

We cannot prevent new viruses from emerging, but we can prevent them from causing chaos. By defining metrics, thresholds and shared responses in advance, we can respond more rationally when the storm hits.

Mircea T. Sofonea, Associate professor (Univ. Montpellier)

Strategic funding

The VORTEX project is one of nine winners of the call for projects 2024 of the Priority Research Programme and Equipment on Emerging Infectious Diseases (PEPR MIE).

What is the PEPR MIE?

Led and operated by ANRS MIE, the PEPR MIE responds to Measure 2 of the National Strategy for Accelerating Emerging Infectious Diseases (MIE) and Nuclear, Radiological, Biological and Chemical Threats (MN).

It has been divided into three calls for projects in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Each call focuses on three areas: accelerating the acquisition of fundamental knowledge on emerging infectious diseases; promoting innovation and developing new treatments, vaccines and other prevention, diagnostic and surveillance tools for emerging infectious diseases; and enabling public policy and society to respond to epidemic crises.

The PEPR MIE calls for projects (CFPs) target large-scale, interdisciplinary and multi-partner research projects lasting 2 to 3 years and requiring a minimum funding request of €1 million for components 1 and 2. No minimum funding amount is applied to research projects submitted under component 3. The total budget allocated by the France 2030 plan is €70 million.

 

Latest publications

  1. Reyné, B., Djidjou-Demasse, R., Sofonea, M. T., & Alizon, S. (2025). Mutant emergence timing and population immunisation status impact epidemiological dynamics. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 112140.
  2. Reyné, B., Kamiya, T., Djidjou-Demasse, R., Alizon, S., & Sofonea, M. T. (2025). Leaky or polarised immunity: Non-Markovian modelling highlights the impact of immune memory assumptions. PLOS Computational Biology, 21(8), e1013399.
  3. Xia, Y., Alexandre, M., Thiebaut, R., Maheu-Giroux, M., & Prague, M. (2026). Defining Optimal Vaccine Features for Pandemic Preparedness: an Individual-Based Model Bridging Within-and Between-Host Dynamics. Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, 88(3), 29.