PATH said it won US$5.2 million contract from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) “to develop stable formulations of both live and subunit influenza vaccines.” PATH will work in collaboration with Arecor Limited and Aridis Pharmaceuticals “to extend the product shelf life of pandemic influenza vaccines, and to facilitate vaccine stockpiling and rapid deployment of fully potent vaccines independent of the vaccine cold chain, activities that could significantly help to contain future influenza pandemics.” Following a base period of project work, options exist for PATH to receive further funding from BARDA—up to $4.2 million more—to advance the stabilization efforts.

Dexiang Chen, PhD, senior technical officer at PATH and principal investigator for influenza vaccine stabilization work conducted under the BARDA contract, said, “The benefits of a stable influenza vaccine are manifold. Most notably, a longer shelf life will decrease the turnover of vaccine stockpiles, reducing costs and boosting confidence in the distribution of fully potent vaccines at an outbreak’s point of origin—a key strategy for containing the virus and preventing a potential pandemic.” http://www.path.org/news/an100915-barda.php