BARDA accepting partners to create diagnostic assays for respiratory RNA viral pathogens

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) placed a call for partners this week to aid the organization in developing new sequencing-based, agnostic diagnostic tests better capable of detecting respiratory RNA viruses.

Potential partners will be able to help guide the creation of assays for new, emerging and existing viruses through next-generation sequencing technology. Such technologies are more capable of detecting and analyzing the viral genomes of such viruses, when compared to existing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and antigen tests. These existing tests are challenging to develop, verify, validate, and gain regulatory approval, slowing capabilities in pandemic situations, such as those provided by COVID-19.

By contrast, BARDA notes that newer sequencing technology could provide the ability to test on day one of a pathogen’s emergence, with the necessary regulatory approval, and could provide timely and useful information for swift patient care. What holds this potential back is that such platforms have yet to be commercialized, and no agnostic diagnostics have yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in a pandemic. 

Under the new EZ Broad Agency Announcement solicitation, BARDA will review any abstracts submitted by interested parties until Nov. 30. Entities chosen through this process could receive funding for such diagnostics, with the eventual hope of creating other opportunities for agnostic infectious disease diagnostics.