SmallpoxThe CDC contracts Emergent BioSolutions for $18.9 million smallpox treatment

Rockville, Maryland-based Emergent BioSolutions last week announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has contracted the company for the supply of Vaccinia Immune Globulin Intravenous (VIGIV) into the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). VIGIV is a therapeutic licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of complications due to smallpox vaccination. The contract options, valued at $18.9 million over three years, provide for work required to maintain FDA licensure of VIGIV and to collect plasma for future manufacturing.

“Emergent’s ongoing integration of the Cangene operations has ensured continuity in the fulfillment of our procurement and development contracts with the U.S. Government,” said Adam Havey, executive vice president and president biodefense division of Emergent BioSolutions.

“With respect to VIGIV, which remains a critical component of the government’s biodefense program, we are pleased that CDC has exercised these contract options and look forward to implementing the required activities that we anticipate will enable future manufacturing of VIGIV.”

The company says that this contract modification increases the total contract value to $36.6 million. The scope of the contract, originally awarded to Cangene Corporation, which Emergent acquired in February 2014, was to maintain the ability to manufacture licensed VIGIV, with annual options to conduct additional services to support licensure maintenance activities for the product and to allow for additional manufacturing and plasma collections. VIGIV was first delivered into the SNS in 2002 and was subsequently licensed in the U.S. by FDA in 2005 and in Canada by Health Canada in 2007.