BioterrorismEmergent sells anthrax vaccine to U.S. allies
European countries, worried about bioterror attacks, are working on a plan to stock vaccines regionally — a Baltic stockpile, a Nordic stockpile, and so on would help in covering countries that have not expressed a desire to form their own stockpiles; a Maryland-based companies is providing these European countries with anthrax vaccine
Last December we reported that a plan for European preparation for a terrorist bioattacks called for a regional stockpiling system within Europe. A Baltic stockpile, Nordic stockpile, and so on would be of great import and would aid in covering countries that have not expressed a desire to form their own stockpiles (“Regional biodefense stockpiles could aid Europe in event of bioattack,” 16 December 2009 HSNW).
Some of the countries involved in the regional defense plan are buying their bioterror vaccines from an American company. Rockville, Maryland-based Emergent BioSolutions Inc., which supplies anthrax vaccines to the U.S. government, has delivered doses of its BioThrax vaccine to governments of several allied nations.
The Washington Business Journal notes that the company did not identify the countries or disclose the number of doses sold, but said the sales generated $2.3 million in revenue.
BioThrax is designed to protect against anthrax exposure and has been given to about 2.4 million military personnel.
Emergent BioSolutions (NYSE: EBS) is advancing research on a vaccine that is designed to treat people already exposed to anthrax, and is funding that research with development money from the government.
The company, which is not a stranger to controversy (see “$150 million anthrax vaccine contract goes to firm with close Democratic Party ties,” 26 February 2010 HSNW) expects full-year revenue of as much as $255 million and 2010 earnings of as much as $30 million.
