On Oct. 3, 2023, Vir Biotechnology announced that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Servicesﾒ (HHS) , had awarded Vir approximately $50 million in new funding to advance the development of novel monoclonal antibody (mAb) candidates and delivery solutions to widen the applicability of mAbs in COVID-19 and in pandemic preparedness and response.

The new funding will support research and development of novel alternative mAb delivery technologies that have the potential to revolutionize mAb delivery by increasing expression relative to existing technologies. Such delivery could widen the breadth of administration options and shorten development and manufacturing timelines.