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| U.S. Awards a Contract for Anthrax Vaccine |
| 2004-11-05 |
| VaxGen, which shifted its focus to bioterrorism treatments after failures in H.I.V. research, has won an $877 million contract to supply the United States government with anthrax vaccine. VaxGen, based in Brisbane, Calif., will make 75 million doses of the vaccine, which is enough for 25 million Americans because it is given in three doses, Tommy G. Thompson, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, yesterday told reporters on a conference call. It is the government's first purchase under an antiterrorism law President Bush signed in July. Anthrax is a bacterial infection that occurs most commonly in animals like cattle, sheep and goats. People sometimes contract anthrax by touching material from infected animals. The germ was used as a weapon and spread by mail in 2001, leading to five deaths. "This is a key step toward protecting the American public in the event of another anthrax attack," Mr. Thompson said. The intentional release of the bacteria "is one of the most significant biological threats we face," he said. The contract includes an additional amount of as much as $69 million, which will be awarded at the government's discretion for testing the vaccine in children and the elderly. Under the contract, VaxGen must obtain a license for the vaccine from the Food and Drug Administration. Federal law, in an emergency, allows the government to stockpile for use medical treatments that are not approved by the F.D.A. The BioPort Corporation, a private company, has the only anthrax vaccine that has been approved by regulators. Under the contract, VaxGen will deliver 25 million doses of the vaccine to the government within the next two years. The total amount is due within three years. VaxGen will maintain manufacturing capability for at least two years after the final shipment. |
| Posted by:Steve White |