A small group is working on the yearslong project as part of Grand Challenge — Amazon’s 100-person research and development team tasked with finding solutions to ambitious global issues. Amazon has never publicly acknowledged the existence of Grand Challenge, which is known internally as “1492.”
Sources said the team is aiming to develop a vaccine for the common cold, although they’ve been exploring numerous approaches.
Researchers have been trying to develop new treatments for the cold since the 1950s, which proves challenging since so many different viruses can cause the illness.
A spokesperson for Amazon declined CNBC‘s request for comment.
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