HHS gives $8 million to Moderna Therapeutics to speed development of Zika vaccine
Announcement comes on heels of third failed attempt by Congress to pass Zika funding legislation.
Just one day after Congress failed for the third time to pass Zika funding legislation, HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response has announced an $8.2 million contract awarded to Moderna Therapeutics to accelerate the development of a vaccine.
The initial four-year agreement with ASPR's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and the Cambridge, Massachusetts based Moderna will support a Phase 1 clinical trial, toxicology studies, vaccine formulation, and manufacturing, HHS said in a statement.
[Also: Doctors, experts stress need for extended monitoring of Zika-exposed infants]
The agreement could be extended an additional year to five years and a total of $125.5 million in support of Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials, as well as large scale manufacturing.
The work outlined is a requirement for Moderna to apply to the FDA for vaccine licensure.
The company's vaccine uses messenger RNA. Messenger RNA is a molecule that carries specific genetic codes to parts of the cell. This type of vaccine will use mRNA containing the genetic sequence of the Zika virus to trigger an immune response those who receive it.
Producing a vaccine of this type is faster compared to others that require the growth and purification of an weakened or inactivated virus. Moderna is designing its mRNA vaccine to be easy to administer without any specialized delivery devices, HHS said.
[Also: NIH, Johns Hopkins, FSU make Zika drug breakthrough]
The Moderna award means BARDA has appropriated all of the $85 million in funds reassigned for Zika work that it received in April. The funds are being used to develop a Zika vaccine through one of BARDA's Centers for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing, as well as Moderna's mRNA vaccine and Takeda's vaccine, four diagnostics, blood screening tests, and pathogen reduction technologies through private sector partners. These specific expenditures breakdown as follows: $49 million for vaccines; $20.7 million to develop diagnostics with ChemBio, InBios, OraSure, and DiaSorin; $10.7 million to develop pathogen reduction technologies with Cerus; $4.1 million to develop technology to screen donated blood for the Zika virus; and $500,000 for blood sample collection and distribution to developers, HHS said.
ASPR is also providing Zika-positive blood samples to developers to validate the accuracy of new diagnostic tests.
Meanwhile, Congress failed for the third time on Tuesday to pass a $1.1 billion Zika funding package. The news comes as Florida is reporting seven new locally-transmitted cases of the virus, according to published reports.
Twitter: @BethJSanborn
