On May 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced the development of the next-generation, universal vaccine platform, Generation Gold Standard, using a beta-propiolactone (BPL)-inactivated, whole-virus platform.
According to a press brief by the NIH, the initiative signifies a shift toward transparency, effectiveness, and comprehensive preparedness. It will fund the NIH’s in-house development of universal influenza and coronavirus vaccines, which aim to provide broad-spectrum protection against multiple strains of pandemic-prone viruses.
Generation Gold Standard was developed by NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). In addition to influenza and coronavirus, the BPL platform is adaptable for future use against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), metapneumovirus, and parainfluenza. Additionally, it offers the capability to protect against avian influenza without inducing antigenic drift.
“Generation Gold Standard is a paradigm shift,” NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya said in a statement. “It extends vaccine protection beyond strain-specific limits and prepares for flu viral threats – not just today’s, but tomorrow’s as well – using traditional vaccine technology brought into the 21st century.”
“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,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in a statement.
According to the news release, clinical trials for universal influenza vaccines are scheduled to start in 2026, with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval targeted for 2029. Currently in advanced trials, the intranasal BPL-1357 flu vaccine is on track for FDA review by 2029.
