The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI, has pledged up to $90 million to BioNTech’s messenger RNA vaccine candidates for mpox. This research could help advance the scientific understanding of the application of mRNA technology to Orthopoxviruses, which includes mpox, formerly known as monkeypox.

Biopharmaceutical companies and public health officials have learned a great deal about pandemic response in the last two years. A panel discussion during the annual meeting of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization explored some of the lessons from Covid-19 and how they can prepare us for the next pandemic.

Gritstone bio is developing Covid-19 vaccines that use self-amplifying messenger RNA, which is intended to further boost the immune response compared to mRNA alone. The company also says its vaccine candidates may be able to protect against variants of the novel coronavirus.