The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a $500m initiative to accelerate the development of universal vaccines targeting viruses with pandemic potential, including influenza, coronaviruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and others.
The programme, dubbed the Generation Gold Standard, will rely on a beta-propiolactone (BPL)-inactivated, whole-virus platform and is being led by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Funding will be provided through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
The first part of the effort will focus on two NIH in-house vaccine candidates, BPL-1357 and BPL-24910. BPL-1357 is an intranasal vaccine derived from four strains of low-pathogenicity avian influenza that have been chemically activated. The candidate completed a Phase I clinical trial (NCT05027932) last month involving 45 participants and is now progressing through Phase Ib and early Phase II/III trials. According to HHS, BPL-1357 could be ready for US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review by 2029.
Clinical testing for the second candidate, BPL-24910, is expected to start in 2026, though few details have been made public.
The timing of the new initiative coincides with a broader restructuring of the HHS under Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr (RFK Jr), who has implemented a 10,000-person reduction in the department’s workforce. It also comes amid uncertainty over future funding levels for federal health agencies. A draft budget from the White House Office of Management and Budget dated 10 April outlined plans to reduce HHS discretionary funding by more than 30%, from $116.8bn to $80.4bn.
The NIH could see its budget cut from around $47bn to $27bn under the proposal, with its network of 27 research institutes and centres consolidated to just eight. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would also see cuts exceeding 40%, with its role refocused on infectious diseases and public health preparedness.
The Generation Gold Standard programme also follows recent disruptions to vaccine development work funded under previous administrations. Several companies working on Covid-19 vaccines received stop-work orders earlier this year. One such firm, Vaxart, confirmed last week (24 April 2025) that its order had been lifted.
RFK Jr, who has previously expressed scepticism about vaccine safety, said: “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,” in the 1 May announcement.
In April 2025, RFK Jr made his most direct endorsement to date of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, stating in a 6 April post on X that “the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine.” The comment followed the second confirmed death of a child during a measles outbreak in Texas, US. While RFK Jr has previously questioned the safety of several vaccines and avoided full endorsements, this statement marked a shift in tone.
