U.S. Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) recently announced plans to introduce legislation to conduct or support comprehensive research for the creation of a universal coronavirus vaccine.
The bill calls for an investment of $1 billion, which breaks down to $250 million for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2023 for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health.
NIAID Administrator Anthony Fauci had previously said that a universal coronavirus vaccine is possible and worth considering. Cambridge, Mass.-based drug company Moderna has already shipped the first batch of its vaccine for the current novel coronavirus to federal government researchers for human tests of whether the experimental therapy is safe for use in humans. Currently, 56 countries are reporting infections, including 60 cases in the United States.
“Instead of downplaying the threat of coronavirus, we should put a down-payment on a universal coronavirus vaccine. The United States has the greatest scientists and researchers on the planet, and we can lead the world in containing this crisis and preventing future ones,” Markey said. “We are confronting a biohazard that has the potential to devastate our health and safety, the world’s supply chain, and the global economy, and we must bring to bear all of our ingenuity, skill, and experience to develop a vaccine that will be affordable and accessible for all. This legislation will help provide dedicated, consistent resources so that we can perform the basic science research necessary to develop a universal coronavirus vaccine that prevents the next novel biothreat. With three novel coronavirus outbreaks in the last 18 years, finding a vaccine that treats all coronaviruses would be a significant development for global public health. That goal is within our grasp.”
This past December, Markey secured $200 million in funding for research for the creation of a universal influenza vaccine that could protect against multiple strains of the flu virus.