HHS awards $1.4bn to advance COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics

The $1.4bn funding will support the advancement of tools and technologies to prepare for future COVID-19 variants.

Through the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded over $1.4 billion for Project NextGen, a program aiming to enhance preparedness for future COVID-19 strains and variants.

“Project NextGen is a key part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to keeping people safe from COVID-19 variants,” said HHS secretary Xavier Becerra. “These awards are a catalyst for the program – kickstarting efforts to more quickly develop vaccines and continue to ensure availability of effective treatments.”

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$1 billion of the funding will be put towards vaccine clinical trials, $326 million will be used to develop a monoclonal antibody (mAb), and $100 million will be put towards establishing vaccine and therapeutic technologies. A full breakdown of the funding can be seen below:

According to HHS, the funding for the clinical studies will advance the development of new vaccine candidates. Furthermore, the organization said it would provide a network of trials with the flexibility to use the most promising candidates as they become more established.

The partnership with Regeneron will speed efforts to prevent COVID-19 infections by producing a mAb for individuals who do not respond or are unable to be administered with the available vaccines. Clinical trials for the candidate are anticipated to begin this fall.

The remaining funds will be used to explore technologies that can produce quicker development and production strategies. In turn, this will accelerate timelines and strengthen vaccine and therapeutic accessibility.

“As the virus continues to evolve, we need new tools that keep pace with those changes,” said Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary, ASPR.

“Project NextGen combines the research and development expertise at HHS with the lessons we have learned about the virus throughout the pandemic – strengthening our preparedness for whatever comes next.”