$1.4 Billion Awarded for Project NextGen: Accelerating COVID-19 Vaccine Development and Treatments

Strategic Insights -

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded over $1.4 billion for Project NextGen, a $5 billion initiative led by ASPR's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) in partnership with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). This funding will support the development of a new generation of tools and technologies to protect against COVID-19, including vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and transformative technologies to streamline manufacturing processes.

Key Takeaways:

  • $1 billion awarded to four BARDA Clinical Trial partners to support vaccine Phase IIb clinical trial studies, including ICON Government and Public Health Solutions, Inc., Pharm-Olam, LLC, Technical Resources Intl (TRI), Inc., and Rho Federal Systems, Inc.
  • $326 million awarded to Regeneron to support the development of a next-generation monoclonal antibody for COVID-19 prevention
  • $100 million awarded to Global Health Investment Corp. (GHIC) to expand investments in new technologies that will accelerate responses in the future
  • $10 million awarded to Johnson & Johnson Innovation (JLABS) for a competition through Blue Knight, a BARDA-JLABS partnership
  • The awards announced today will speed the development of new vaccine candidates, providing a network of at-the-ready trials with the flexibility to pivot to the most promising new vaccines as they mature
  • The public can expect to see clinical trials for new vaccine candidates targeting longer-lasting protection against future variants as early as this winter under Project NextGen
  • HHS' partnership with Regeneron is advancing its efforts to prevent COVID-19 infections by developing a novel monoclonal antibody that will protect people who do not respond to or cannot take existing vaccines
  • The remaining awards will fund technologies that enable more efficient development and manufacturing strategies, accelerating development timelines across the board and bolstering future vaccine and therapeutic availability

Statistics:

  • $1.4 billion awarded for Project NextGen
  • $5 billion total funding for the initiative
  • $1 billion awarded for vaccine clinical trials
  • $326 million awarded for a new monoclonal antibody
  • $100 million awarded to expand investments in new technologies
  • $10 million awarded for a competition through Blue Knight, a BARDA-JLABS partnership
  • 4 partners awarded $1 billion to support vaccine Phase IIb clinical trial studies
  • Up to 4 clinical trials for new vaccine candidates expected to begin as early as this winter
  • 100% increase in funding for Regeneron's development of a next-generation monoclonal antibody compared to existing funding

Sources:

  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • medicalcountermeasures.gov/nextgen/