STAT+: HHS dispatches millions to next-generation Covid targets, including intranasal vaccine
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced Friday that it is investing in three potential vaccines and a range of new technologies aimed at staying ahead of Covid-19.
The $500 million investment across 13 projects is the latest installment in the federal government’s Project NextGen, a $5 billion plan to develop new Covid-19 treatments, vaccines, and ways of delivering them. The Health and Human Services Department this summer channeled $1.4 billion to similar goals.
Friday’s announcement includes $8.5 million for New York-based CastleVax to develop an intranasal vaccine and $10 million to Codagenix, also in New York, for a live-attenuated intranasal vaccine that it is working on with the Serum Institute of India, one of the largest vaccine producers in the world. HHS also allotted $10 million to Gritstone Bio, the first installment of what could be a massive $433 million investment in the small California biotech’s plans for a “self-amplifying mRNA” vaccine.
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