Mastercard, Gates Foundation and Wellcome team up on Coronavirus treatment

I am happy to share with you some promising news on the Coronavirus front. BCW Member Mastercard has stepped up to show incredible leadership this week with the announcement that it is partnering with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Wellcome to fund future treatments.

The partnership has pledged a total of up to $125 million in seed funding to speed-up the response to the COVID-19 virus. Currently, there are no broad-spectrum antivirals or immunotherapies for use on COVID-19.

The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator will speed the process of evaluating new and repurposed treatments for COVID-19 in the immediate term, as well as other viral pathogens in the longer-term.

The Mastercard Impact Fund committed up to $25 million to catalyze the initial work of the Accelerator, which will work with the World Health Organization, government and private sector funders and organizations, as well as global regulatory and policy-setting institutions. This will allow sharing of research, coordinating investments, and pooling resources from the drug development stage through manufacturing and scale-up.

It is inspiring to witness the helpers of this world, including our friends and neighbors here in Westchester, stepping up to help in this crisis. Thank you Mastercard!

We will continue to be here for you, providing you with the latest information as we all work together to get through this.

Stay safe and be well,

Marsha Gordon

BCW President & CEO