BARDA’s Advanced Research & Development Programs

From its inception, BARDA has been committed to creating a robust and dynamic pipeline of medical countermeasures through advanced development of new and improved medical countermeasures.  The goal of medical countermeasure development is to provide multiple product candidates in each program to both account for attrition in medical countermeasure development and to establish multi-product/multi-manufacturer portfolios for sustainability and redundancy.

BARDA medical countermeasures include vaccines, antimicrobial drugs, therapeutic products, diagnostics and non-pharmaceutical medical supplies and devices for public health medical emergencies including chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, pandemic influenza and emerging infectious diseases.  BARDA currently has three programs dedicated to overseeing the advanced development of these medical countermeasures: Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN); pandemic influenza; and emerging infectious diseases.  BARDA’s Influenza and Emerging Diseases Division is in the planning phase for its Emerging Infectious disease program.  This program will, when stood up, support the advanced development of vaccine, therapeutic and diagnostic medical countermeasures that address emerging disease threats. 

Integrated National Biodefense Medical Countermeasures Portfolio

Promoting a One Portfolio Approach

Integrated National Biodefense Medical Countermeasure Portfolio “One-Portfolio Approach.”  The Department of Defense (DoD) and HHS each identify medical countermeasure requirements to address their different missions and focus.  DoD’s focus is on protecting the armed forces prior to exposure, whereas HHS’s focus is on response to threats to the civilian population after exposure in a CBRN event.  However, there are areas of common requirements or interest where medical countermeasure candidates, resources and information can be appropriately shared to maximize opportunities for success in the development of medical countermeasures for the highest priority threats.  BARDA, in partnership with other HHS and DoD partners, is leading an Integrated National Biodefense Medical Countermeasure Portfolio to leverage resources and programs across the agencies that develop and acquire CBRN medical countermeasures to more effectively address the broad range of common threats and requirements.   Members of this Integrated Portfolio include BARDA, biodefense programs in NIAID and other Institutes of NIH, and multiple elements of the DoD Chemical and Biological Defense Program