The Biden administration will invest more than USD 3 billion for COVID-19 antiviral medicines.
On Thursday, the Biden administration announced that it will invest more than USD 3 billion for COVID-19 antiviral medicines.
In a report on CNN Philippines, the Biden administration announced that it would invest more than USD 3 billion from the American Rescue Plan in order to accelerate the discovery, development, and manufacturing of COVID-19 antiviral medicines — ideally like a pill a person could easily take at home early in an illness.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), told reporters during a White House COVID-19 briefing that COVID-19 vaccines clearly remained the “centerpiece of our arsenal against COVID-19”.
However, Fauci said that antivirals can even be a vital complement to existing COVID-19 vaccines, especially for those with certain conditions that might put them at greater risk and for those whom vaccines may not be as protective.
“We know that there are many people who are immunosuppressed in which vaccines, at least initially, may not give an optimal response. And it also adds a line of defense against other unexpected emerging things like variants of concern that we are currently dealing with,” Fauci said.
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According to NIAID, the Antiviral Program for Pandemics aimed to develop effective and safe antivirals to combat the coronavirus disease and will help develop antivirals against other viruses with pandemic potential.
Widespread availability of highly-effective oral antiviral pills that can be taken at home, according to the institute, could save lives and could prevent surges in hospitalizations.
The Biden administration will invest nearly USD 1 billion for pre-clinical and clinical evaluation, over USD 300 million for research and laboratory support, and nearly USD 700 million for development and manufacturing through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and NIAID.
According to NIH, the Biden administration will allocate up to USD 1.2 billion in order to support the creation of “Antiviral Drug Discovery (AViDD) Centers for Pathogens of Pandemic Concern”.
The said announcement was part of the Biden administration’s effort to support the development of therapies to treat COVID-19.
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