HHS and the National Institutes of Health plan to develop universal vaccines targeting a broad range of flu and coronavirus strains using a new whole-virus platform.
The platform, dubbed Generation Gold Standard, uses beta-propiolactone-inactivated whole-virus technology to produce vaccines that aim to provide lasting protection against various virus types, including H5N1 avian influenza and coronavirus strains, such as SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, according to a May 1 HHS news release.
One of the vaccine candidates, BPL-1357, is a nasal spray that has already entered advanced stages of testing and is designed to prevent virus transmission.
The platform is fully government owned and operated by NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The platform is also being explored for use against other respiratory viruses, like respiratory syncytial virus, metapneumovirus and parainfluenza.
Universal flu vaccine clinical trials are expected to begin in 2026 with potential FDA approval by 2029.
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