HHS and NIH launch vaccine platform for pandemic-prone viruses

3 May 2025

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institutes for Health (NIH) have announced a $500 million initiative called "Generation Gold Standard," which aims to develop universal vaccines that provide broad-spectrum protection against multiple strains of pandemic-prone viruses, including influenza and coronaviruses, using a beta-propiolactone-inactivated whole-virus platform.

The agency said this initiative represents a decisive shift toward transparency, effectiveness, and comprehensive preparedness, funding the NIH’s in-house development of universal influenza and coronavirus vaccines, including candidates BPL-1357 and BPL-24910. These vaccines aim to provide broad-spectrum protection against multiple strains of pandemic-prone viruses like H5N1 avian influenza and coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1, and MERS-CoV.

“Our commitment is clear: every innovation in vaccine development must be grounded in gold standard science and transparency, and subjected to the highest standards of safety and efficacy testing,” said HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.

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