New Tools in the Infectious Disease Toolbox: Combatting Future Biological Threats

COVID-19 has illustrated the seriousness of biological threats and there’s reasonable likelihood that another serious pandemic worse than COVID-19 could happen again in the near future. Transformative investments in pandemic preparedness need to be made that will provide us with broad and deep protection from the ongoing and increasing risk of pandemic disease. As we saw with COVID-19 prevention and treatment strategies, the virus continued to evolve and mutate around established human immunity which rapidly wanes within months of vaccine or virus exposure. No one solution – including vaccines – is effective on its own to manage the health threat that viral infections can pose for these vulnerable populations.

Hear from a diverse panel of experts about the need for new, more longer lasting tools, such as mAbs (monoclonal antibodies), along with the need for flexible regulatory pathways, to better prevent and treat Covid-19 and future biological threats to avoid hospitalization and death in susceptible demographics. Panelists will review significant challenges related to vaccines and antivirals, the body’s inability to mount a strong and durable defense and identify opportunities for improved solutions and health outcomes with therapeutic antibodies and other solutions.