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STRATEGIC PLAN

"Outbreaks are inevitable, but pandemics are optional."

The Global Pandemic Prevention and Biodefense Center (GPPBC or “the Center”) will help prevent future outbreaks from becoming pandemics by developing a stockpile of human monoclonal antibodies in advance for emerging infectious diseases, and by integrating antibody distribution and delivery across the global health and pandemic prevention ecosystem.

It's hard to overstate the impact that COVID-19 has had on the world. More than three million people are dead. In the United States, the impacts and loss of life were felt disproportionately in Black, brown, and Indigenous communities.  Job losses or reduced working hours due to the impact of the pandemic cost the world the equivalent of 255 million jobs in 2020, nearly four times the number lost during the 2009 global financial crisis. 

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Explore worldwide COVID statistics below.

It’s a pandemic that changed life as we know it—and its effects will likely be felt for generations.

Undoubtedly, the U.S. and the world will face future infections with pandemic potential. While COVID-19 was a once-in-a-generation pandemic, there have also been a number of other high profile diseases and infections that have emerged over the past 20 years, including: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Swine Flu, MERS, Zika, and the Ebola virus. These diseases together have contributed to over $100 billion in economic losses.

8

pandemics since 1900.

$100 Billion

in economic losses

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It's not a question of if the next pandemic hits. It's a question of when—and whether we'll be prepared.

Our vision

Global Pandemic Prevention and Biodefens

Imagine a world where scientists and medical providers have the tools to prepare for the next outbreak before it happens. Imagine a stockpile of rapidly deployable solutions to respond to pandemic threats the moment there's an outbreak to forestall loss of life and economic upheaval. Imagine an alignment of society, policy, and innovation so that we can make the big ideas of now the bold solutions of tomorrow. Imagine a deep and wide partnership between government, private industry, academia, and the community to finally get in front of global outbreaks with an integrated approach.

What is urgently needed is one cross-sector entity with the scale, resources, and talent to ensure the initiatives of all pandemic prevention stakeholders are coordinated to deliver maximum impact. Additionally, we need one body that can help accelerate the production and stockpiling of life-saving therapeutics and diagnostics, while improving surveillance and monitoring capabilities to help prevent and contain future outbreaks.

Center

The Global Pandemic Prevention and Biodefense Center will help prevent outbreaks from becoming pandemics by developing in advance a stockpile of human monoclonal antibodies for emerging infectious diseases, and by integrating antibody development, manufacturing, distribution and delivery across the global health and pandemic prevention ecosystem. The National Capital Region is uniquely positioned to be the host location for this herculean task because it is home to:

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70

federal labs

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800

life sciences companies

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government agencies: FDA, NIH/NIAID, ASPR/BARDA, DARPA

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seat of policy & political power

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175

worldwide embassies & diplomatic missions

The flagship lead initiative of the Center will be AHEAD100. This ambitious, medical countermeasures program aims to develop and stockpile monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for the world's top 100 pathogens across 25 pathogen families most likely to cause pandemics. The availability of this stockpile fills the critical time gap between outbreaks and activated vaccines during which a pandemic can be wholly avoided.

AHEAD100

AHEAD100
Global Pandemic Prevention and Biodefens
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Antibody research is among the most critical components of pandemic response. Antibodies are proven to provide prophylactic, post-exposure, and therapeutic benefits.  Additionally, they can be used effectively to protect vulnerable populations and frontline healthcare workers while complementing vaccine solutions. 

Learn more about the power of antibodies in the work to prevent pandemics from AHEAD100's chief scientist, Dr. James Crowe and ex-officio Steering Committee member Dr. Kayvon Modjarrad in the 60 Minutes clip below:

Preventing Future Pandemics
60 Minutes | CBS News

Preventing Future Pandemics

HIGHLIGHTS

TECHNICAL WHITEPAPER

AHEAD100 Monoclonal Antibodies

The time is right for a new public-private partnership whose mission is to prevent future disease outbreaks from becoming pandemics using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) as the critical stopgap between diagnosis and vaccine readiness. Complete the form below for a copy of our technical white paper on the use of monoclonal antibodies to prevent future pandemics.

The Center At a Glance

Establishing the Center and preparing antibody solutions through Phase 1 trials will cost $2.5 billion and enable society to be weeks from a solution when an outbreak occurs saving countless lives and evading massive economic and societal disruption.

Steering Committee

Dr. James Crowe, Interim Board Member, Founder & Chief Scientist - AHEAD100  
Stu Solomon, Interim Board Member  
Ken Kelley, Interim Board Member

Steering Committee

COMMUNITY & PHILANTHROPY

Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)

Phyllis Arthur

Brigadier Gen. (ret.)
White House Physician Emeritus

Dr. Richard Tubb

CEPI

Rebecca Farkas

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Dr. Jenni Weisman

Battelle National Biodefense Institute 


Dr. George Korch

US Pharmacopeia

Anthony Lakavage, JD

Virginia Bio
 

John Newby

Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense

Dr. Asha George

Former ASD for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense

Hon. Andy Weber

World Health Organization (WHO)

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan

(ex-officio)

S&R Foundation

Dr. Sachiko Kuno

BioHealth Innovation

Rich Bendis

Maryland Tech Council

Marty Rosendale

Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation
 
Bill Tompkins

Wellcome Leap

Dr. Duccio Medini

Connected DMV

Stu Solomon

ACADEMIA

University System of Maryland
 

Dr. Jay Perman

Vanderbilt University Medical Center
 

Dr. Jeff Balser

Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area

Dr. Andrew Flagel

Founder & Chief Scientist, AHEAD100

Dr. James Crowe

Boston University

Dr. Nahid Bhadelia

(On leave serving in WH OSTP)

John Hopkins University

Future

PUBLIC SECTOR

Director, NIH/NIAID/VRC

Open

Chief, Virology Branch, 
NIH/NIAID/MID


Dr. Cristina Cassetti

(ex-officio)

Director, Clinical Innovation, NIH/NCATS

Dr. Michael Kurilla

(ex-officio)

Director, Medical Countermeasure Regulatory Policy,
FDA
 
Elizabeth Sadove, JD

(ex-officio)

Director, Emerging Infectious Disease Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
 
Dr. Kayvon Modjarrad

(ex-officio)

State of Maryland
 

Secretary Kelly Schulz

Montgomery County

Hon. Marc Elrich

Chief, Therapeutics Branch, Influenza & Emerging Infectious Diseases, 
HHS/ASPR/BARDA


Dr. Kimberly Armstrong

(ex-officio)

Director, CBRN Countermeasures Division,
HHS/ASPR/BARDA


Dr. Christopher Houchens