Significant expansion of the SNPRC ABSL3 capability in the wake of COVID-19

Research Summary/Abstract.The SNPRC is one of seven NIH supported National Primate Research Centers. The center receivesadditional support from the sponsor organization, Texas Biomedical Research Institute. The center andthe institute have a very strong focus on biomedical research involving infectious disease. The siteoperates primate studies at ASBL 2-3-4 levels. Prior to March 2020, the SNPRC supported studies inNHPs on TB, and TB/HIV co-infection in its new ABSL3 lab (Bldg 12) which can house ~80 rhesusmacaques.In response to the global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2; Texas Biomed andthe SNPRC have become interested in developing NHP models of this infection, and the ensuingdiseases, COVID-19. This has led to very early SARS-CoV2 infection studies for model development,in three species of research NHPs (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.05.136481v1).We are currently supporting a number of NHP studies for Fortune 500/leading biotechnologycompanies for preventative vaccine and therapeutic candidates for SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. Ourcurrent ABSL3 newly opened in Q4, 2019 is capable of housing up to 80 macaques, across four rooms.This facility is currently in use at virtually full capacity due to COVID-19 and TB work. Due to the urgentnature for research to address SARS-CoV-2, as well as to support research in any future emergingpathogens, the center must therefore expand its ABSL3 primate capabilities. The historic (now closed)ABSL3 located in Bldg 23 on campus can be renovated to a state of the art ABSL3 space. Renovationof this space would bring online four more rooms in ABSL3 containment; with the capacity of anadditional 64 macaques. This would represent a significant, 80% increase in the number of macaquesthat could be enrolled on SARS-CoV2 studies; and a gain of four additional individual study rooms. Inthe short-term this supplemental funding would allow us to complete the COVID-19 vaccinationexperiments currently being supported by the SNPRC. Long-term we would be prepared to respond toCOVID-19 vaccine and therapeutic testing work that is expected to be performed by the NPRCs insupport of ACTIV and Warp Speed operations, as well as any other ABSL-3 work.