HHS, NIH announce new ‘universal’ vaccine standard for broad-spectrum protection
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have announced a new universal vaccine platform—dubbed “Generation Gold Standard”—that utilizes inactivated whole viruses to provide broad-spectrum coverage for seasonal illnesses such as COVID-19 and influenza.
According to the May 1 announcement, the beta-propiolactone (BPL)-inactivated, whole-virus platform will allow for improved protection against more strains of these viruses, with future plans to expand its use to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), metapneumovirus, and parainfluenza.
Generation Gold Standard is a technology developed by NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Unlike traditional vaccines that target specific strains, these BPL-inactivated whole-virus vaccines “preserve the virus’s structural integrity” while improving effectiveness, the agency said.
According to preliminary research, the approach “induces robust B and T cell immune responses and offers long-lasting protection across diverse viral families.” How effective the vaccines are in reducing or blocking transmission is currently being tested in trials. If shown to be successful, it would represent a major improvement over current flu and COVID-19 vaccines, which produce a protective response but aren’t particularly effective at blocking transmission.
“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.
HHS said the Gold Standard program “realigns” public health initiatives to protect the population from viruses such as the flu, rather than creating vaccines that work only against a few strains.
On track for 2029 launch
The technology is still in development. Clinical trials for universal influenza vaccines are scheduled to start in 2026, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval is on track for 2029, should Gold Standard be found safe and effective.
The intranasal BPL-1357 flu vaccine, currently in advanced trials, is also on track for FDA review by 2029, HHS said.
The full statement from the agencies can be found here.
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