Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)

Martin Luther King, Jr., Day is more than just a day off—it's a National Day of Service. This year, consider joining your local Medical Reserve Corps unit. MRC volunteers play a vital role in keeping communities healthy and resilient, from supporting public health initiatives to assisting during emergencies. We need both medical and non-medical volunteers to support communities facing public health emergencies and strengthen community resilience. Let’s come together, serve our neighbors, and carry forward Dr. King's vision of a stronger, more connected community. In the latest edition of the ASPR Blog, Medical Reserve Corps Deputy Director Samantha Spindel talks explains how you can make a difference by volunteering with the Medical Reserve Corps. https://lnkd.in/es-z7pxE #MLKDay #DayOfService #Volunteer

Tomorrow is the last day to submit your abstract to our Influenza Vaccine Innovation program! We’re seeking to develop novel influenza vaccines that can provide broader and longer-lasting protection against pandemic flu. Submit by 12 pm ET on 1/20: https://ow.ly/1tFs50UwYsR

BARDA is partnering with Global Systems Engineering (GSE) to enhance and modernize CHEMM (Chemical Hazards Emergency Medical Management). CHEMM is a comprehensive digital resource for first responders, first receivers, emergency healthcare providers, and planners. CHEMM features evidence-based guidance and best practices as well as information on how to prepare and respond to mass casualty incidents involving chemicals. The materials in CHEMM are downloadable and fully operational both online and offline. In addition, CHEMM provides the emergency medical response community with decision-aid tools to help determine possible toxidromes and potential treatments based on symptoms of the exposed individual. CHEMM’s modernization effort will be guided by extensive feedback from emergency medical personnel. This type of end user engagement directly aligns with BARDA’s strategic objective to embrace end-user needs and promote interventions across the continuum of care. Learn more: https://ow.ly/s1b550UIQNM

Have you heard? We’re on the Bluesky bandwagon! Give us a follow at: https://ow.ly/Rtt150UIQhn

Through the RRPV | Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle Consortium, BARDA is expanding its partnership with mRNA vaccine developer Moderna to expand a rapid pandemic influenza response capability that can pivot quickly, if needed, to address other health security threats, such as emerging infectious diseases. In a flu pandemic, developing and distributing vaccines is essential to curbing the spread of disease and saving lives. The funding announced today will support the manufacturing of investigational mRNA vaccines and clinical trials needed for FDA to consider licensure and help the U.S. become better prepared for potential commercial scale-up in response to future health security threats. Learn more: https://ow.ly/cG7N50UIPRc

During any national emergency – from an infectious disease outbreak to a nuclear detonation – the ability to access and deploy medical countermeasures is critical for an effective response. Because we do not know when a national emergency might occur, once products are developed and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there is a need to support long term access to these products. Depending on the product, we use different public-private partnership models to sustain long-term access, as well as focus on development of new technologies and products that can make sustainment more cost effective and efficient. Learn more about our sustainment goals, including how we’re maintaining efforts over time and preserving what has been achieved to support ongoing growth and stability: https://ow.ly/M6aH50UHRwb

We never stop working to protect the American people from a range of potential health security threats. In 2024, we boosted U.S. preparedness, aided the nation’s response to infectious disease outbreaks, identified promising treatments for drug-resistant fungi and other pathogens, and supported development of innovative technologies across BARDA’s threat space and more. Learn more: https://ow.ly/81yB50UI50L

We are excited to announce our newest partner under BARDA’s Decentralized Clinical Operations for Healthcare and Research (D-COHRe) program: Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), part of Duke University. i-Cubed, DCRI’s center for clinical research innovation, will apply its expertise in decentralized clinical trials (DCTs) to identify and understand the challenges and opportunities in decentralized clinical research, including patient inclusivity, and develop a model for evaluating, testing, validating, and deploying DCT products and solutions. The D-COHRe program aims to build a sustainable business model for DCTs, providing a means for rapidly testing and validating novel technologies, then making them available to the public, which will aid in public health emergency preparedness in ways not feasible through the traditional clinical trial infrastructure. Read more about D-COHRe: https://lnkd.in/eu4aaS-j

We are partnering with Shionogi Inc. (U.S.) through the RRPV | Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle Consortium to advance the clinical development of a long-acting therapeutic aimed at preventing COVID-19 for people who are immune compromised. Accelerating development of this preventative drug could help protect high-risk populations, particularly immune compromised people, who remain vulnerable to severe complications of COVID-19. Learn more: https://ow.ly/zEfb50UHStt

We’ve reopened our DRIVe & CBRN ReBooT (Repurposing Drugs for Biological Threats) program area of interest under the EZ-BAA. This program supports the development of repurposed or repositioned therapeutics to reduce morbidity and mortality caused by filoviruses, including Ebola, Marburg, and Sudan virus infections. Therapeutics should be direct-acting or host-directed, as well as licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Investigational new drugs in late-stage development (post Phase 1) are also responsive. Deadline to submit your abstract is April 30, 2025. Full details: https://ow.ly/h8WH50UGu5O