LONDON (AP) — U.K.-based drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline and Germany’s CureVac say they plan to collaborate on a new generation of vaccines targeting emerging variants of COVID-19.

The announcement comes as public health experts around the world raise concerns about mutations in the virus that may make existing vaccines less effective.

“The increase in emerging variants with the potential to reduce the efficacy of first generation COVID-19 vaccines requires acceleration of efforts to develop vaccines against new variants to keep one step ahead of the pandemic,’’ the companies said in a statement Wednesday. “These next generation COVID-19 vaccines may either be used to protect people who have not been vaccinated before, or to serve as boosters in the event that COVID-19 immunity gained from an initial vaccination reduces over time.''

GSK says it will also help CureVac manufacture up to 100 million doses of its existing vaccine candidate this year.

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