One of the largest research contracts ever awarded to the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) was announced by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) this week, to the potential tune of more than $200 million over the next seven years.
Initially, the award will take the form of a $2.5 million contract to conduct clinical testing of influenza vaccines. It could be extended from there to up to $201 million. The research will be led by Dr. Kathleen Neuzil, a professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, director of the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD) and the only U.S. member of the World Health Organization’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization. Her research will cover the testing of improved seasonal influenza vaccines and conducting controlled human influenza challenge studies with the hopes of creating a universal vaccine for use against emerging influenza strains and improving current seasonal vaccines.
“Influenza virus is a common and serious infection that causes annual outbreaks in all age groups,” Neuzil said. “While current influenza vaccines have been critical in reducing disease, the virus is constantly changing. The CIVICs (NIAID’s Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Center) program will address the need to develop and test influenza vaccines that protect against new and emerging strains, and ultimately prevent more disease.”
It is estimated that 43 million people in the United States alone were impacted by flu across the 2018-2019 season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This latest effort to combat it is being funded in whole or in part with federal funds from the NIAID, National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services.
“For decades, CVD has been a leader in researching and developing interventions for the most challenging diseases that impact the world’s most vulnerable populations,” said UMSOM’s Dean Reece, who is also the Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, UM Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor. “With this generous funding, and Dr. Neuzil’s expertise and leadership, CVD will be able to make pathbreaking discoveries, and test new vaccines against this persistent infection that affects millions of people around the world.”