The Government is pouring $25 million into funding to help detect, diagnose, treat or prevent Covid-19.
Research and Science Minister Megan Woods said the investment is to speed the development of products and services around stopping Covid-19.
"We are working across government to develop a vaccine strategy with the research and science community, and potential vaccine manufacturers," Ms Woods said.
"Scientists, researchers and innovators in New Zealand and across the globe are working hard to resolve the myriad of challenges Covid-19 presents.
"Working across government, the research sector and with businesses to respond hard and fast against the serious global health threat is vital, and this new fund supports New Zealand’s problem solvers to get cutting-edge products and services to market quickly."
The Covid-19 Innovation Acceleration Fund , created in March, had previously allocated $6.75 million to go towards technology, including the detection of Covid-19 antibodies in blood, the development of a simple, versatile ventilator, and for early stage research investigating the development of a vaccine.
University of Otago infectious disease specialist professor David Murdoch said last week the development of a Covid-19 vaccine was likely to be 12 to 18 months away.
"That may seem a long way in the future, but it’s worth remembering past vaccines have taken 10 to 15 years to get to market," he said.
"The fact clinical trials are starting is amazing when you think that four months ago we didn’t even know this virus existed. So that is quite extraordinary."
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