A two-year UN study of internationally funded training programmes in biotechnology and biosafety warns that as many as 100 developing countries are unprepared to effectively manage and monitor the use of modern biotechnologies, leaving the world community open to serious biosafety threats.
Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) announced that it has completed the acquisition of all assets and rights related to a recombinant protective antigen (rPA) anthrax vaccine product candidate and related technology from VaxGen, Inc. Recent improvements to the rPA vaccine, specifically related to stability, suggests that it is well positioned to be a leading candidate for an award under a request for proposal (RFP) recently issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The vaccine candidate has completed one Phase 2 clinical study. This RFP is designed to meet the government’s stated goal to procure 25 million doses of an rPA anthrax vaccine for the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). HHS has indicated that any awards under this RFP are scheduled to be granted in late 2008.
