President Trump on Friday announced “Operation Warp Speed” — a new initiative that is aimed at developing, manufacturing and distributing an effective COVID-19 vaccine. Trump described the administration’s plan as “a massive scientific industrial and logistical endeavor unlike anything our country has seen since the Manhattan Project,” American project set up in 1942 to develop the atom bomb.
Audrey Conklin for FOXBusiness:
“We’d love to see if we can do it prior to the end of the year,” the president said. “We think we’re going to have some very good results coming out very quickly.”
The administration is providing roughly $10 billion to support the medical research effort, including funding for vaccine development. “There’s never been a vaccine project like this anywhere in the world,” he said.
Dr. Moncef Slaoui and Gen. Gustave Perna will lead Operation Warp Speed.
Operation Warp Speed is "a massive scientific, industrial, and logistical endeavor unlike anything our country has seen since the Manhattan Project." pic.twitter.com/dkfU3vPnnA
— The White House 45 Archived (@WhiteHouse45) May 15, 2020
MacDailyNews Note: General Gustave F. Perna is a United States Army four-star general who serves as the commanding general of United States Army Materiel Command.
Moderna, Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company pioneering messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines to create a new generation of transformative medicines for patients, today announced that Dr. Moncef Slaoui has resigned from Moderna’s Board of Directors upon appointment of his new role to oversee the White House’s Operation Warp Speed initiative. Dr. Slaoui joined Moderna’s Board of Directors in 2017.
“I would like to thank Moncef for his critical insights and three years of service on the Moderna Board,” said Noubar Afeyan, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chairman of Moderna, and CEO of Flagship Pioneering. “Moncef’s extensive vaccine and therapeutic development guidance were important as we continue to advance Moderna’s mRNA platform. We wish him well in this new role.”
“I am honored to be asked by the Administration to take on this important responsibility,” said Moncef Slaoui, Ph.D., in a statement, “My entire professional career has been focused on development of therapies and vaccines to benefit many. I was inspired by Moderna’s vision to invest in developing a new class of medicines and vaccines based on messenger RNA. I have valued my time as a Board member and wish the Company the best as it continues its mission for patients.”
“I greatly appreciate Moncef’s contributions to the Moderna Board in his role of Chair of the Product Development Committee,” said Stéphane Bancel, Moderna’s Chief Executive Officer, in a statement. “His expertise and skills were invaluable as we approach advanced stages of development across our clinical programs. It has been a privilege to work with Moncef over the last three years.”
