San Francisco-based Vir Biotechnology has announced a $50 million commitment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in support of a new antibody research initiative with the potential to impact HIV treatment and the prevention of malaria.

The commitment includes a $40 million equity investment and a $10 million grant to help advance innovative platform technologies in the development of broadly neutralizing antibodies designed to provide a “vaccinal effect” for the treatment of HIV and prevention of malaria. The initiative includes a clinical proof-of-concept trial designed to evaluate the potential impact of broadly neutralizing antibodies engineered to inhibit viral replication and spread in people infected with HIV. Additional preclinical research is planned to assess the potential role of this technology in preventing malaria. The vaccinal antibody concept is currently being applied across Vir’s pipeline of potential SARS-CoV-2, chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV), and influenza A product candidates.

The program-related equity investment is being made through the Gates Foundation’s $2.5 billion Strategic Investment Fund.

“Vir’s partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been a formative and essential part of our company history beginning with our T-cell vaccine program targeting HIV and tuberculosis,” said Vir Biotechnology CEO George Scangos. “This expanded collaboration into a second platform technology supports our shared goal of developing innovative solutions for prevention and treatment of global infectious diseases. We look forward to applying the lessons learned thus far in COVID-19, chronic hepatitis B virus infection, and influenza to advance our efforts toward curing HIV and preventing malaria.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Pony Wang)