US Genomics wins Phase III biodefense contract

We were there for Phase II, so why not report on Phase III? Woburn, Massachusetts-based US Genomics, best known for its DNA-based “broadband” detection of airborne pathogens, announced this week that it had been awarded another $8.6 million in funding DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate. Under the twelve-month contract — provided under the Bioagent Autonomous Networked Detectors (BAND) program — US Genomics will complete prototype development of its system for the detection and identification of airborne pathogens. “These prototypes will be used for demonstrating and testing the capabilities of our unique, proprietary approach to rapidly detect multiple bacterial pathogens, toxins and viruses simultaneously in an environmental sample using a single reagent set,” explained CEO John Canepa. The contract award follows two rounds of funding totaling $24 million.