Emergent inks $29.7M anthrax vax contract

Emergent BioSolutions has inked a three-year, $29.7 million deal with Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). BARDA/NIAID will fund the further development of AV7909, a an anthrax vaccine candidate. AV7909 is made up of Emergent's own BioThrax and CPG 7909 (VaxImmune), which it licensed from Pfizer.

The three-year contract provides up to $24.9 million of funding for manufacturing of clinical lots, for non-clinical safety and efficacy studies, and for stability studies to further demonstrate that the vaccine candidate does not need refrigeration during storage, a key requirement of this vaccine development initiative. In addition, the contract provides up to $4.8 million for a Phase I clinical trial, to be funded as an option that, if exercised, would increase the value of the contract to $29.7 million.

- see Emergent's release

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