Open Philanthropy recommended a grant of $2,921,000 to the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research to support a safety and immunogenicity trial in adults in Nigeria of fractional doses of the AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. The trial has the potential to indicate that smaller doses of these vaccines promote immune responses that are “non-inferior” to those from standard doses. If non-inferiority can be established, this could allow many people to be vaccinated against COVID-19 sooner despite limited supplies, and potentially affect booster recommendations in Nigeria or elsewhere, reducing deaths and other harms from the pandemic.
This falls within our work on scientific research, and specifically within our interest in science supporting biosecurity and pandemic preparedness.