GAITHERSBURG, Md., Feb. 28, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS) today announced a contract award by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) valued at $26 million over 12 months for the continued supply of Vaccinia Immune Globulin Intravenous (VIGIV) into the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). VIGIV is the only therapeutic licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of complications due to smallpox vaccination. Under contract 200-2018-96321, Emergent will conduct manufacturing runs, collect plasma for future manufacturing, and undertake additional activities in support of maintaining FDA licensure of VIGIV.
“Emergent has been a partner to the CDC on the VIGIV program for more than 15 years now, since our first delivery to the SNS in 2002,” said Dr. Laura Saward, senior vice president and antibody therapeutics business unit head at Emergent BioSolutions. “The VIGIV product is an important part of the government's medical countermeasure strategy for addressing the smallpox threat and is synergistic with the company's smallpox product offering, which includes our ACAM2000® smallpox vaccine. As the only FDA-licensed treatment for complications due to smallpox vaccination, Emergent is pleased to continue to supply VIGIV to the SNS in support of the CDC's program to protect against this major public health threat.”
VIGIV was developed on Emergent's hyperimmune platform, on which several marketed antibody therapeutics have been licensed, including Emergent's Anthrasil® [Anthrax Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human)]. This contract will continue the CDC's commitment to VIGIV, which was licensed in the U.S. by FDA in 2005 and in Canada by Health Canada in 2007.
About Emergent BioSolutions
Emergent BioSolutions Inc. is a global life sciences company seeking to protect and enhance life by focusing on providing specialty products for civilian and military populations that address accidental, intentional, and naturally occurring public health threats. Through our work, we envision protecting and enhancing 50 million lives with our products by 2025. Additional information about the company may be found at www.emergentbiosolutions.com. Follow us on Twitter @emergentbiosolu and Instagram @life_at_emergent.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements, other than statements of historical fact, including statements containing the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates” and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current intentions, beliefs and expectations regarding future events. We cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will be accurate. Investors should realize that if underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could differ materially from our expectations. Investors are, therefore, cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release, and, except as required by law, we do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement to reflect new information, events or circumstances.
There are a number of important factors that could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including availability of funding for our U.S. government grants and contracts and our manufacturing capabilities and strategy. The foregoing sets forth many, but not all, of the factors that could cause actual results to differ from our expectations in any forward-looking statement. Investors should consider this cautionary statement, as well as the risk factors identified in our periodic reports filed with the SEC, when evaluating our forward-looking statements.
Investor Contact:
Robert G. Burrows
Vice President, Investor Relations
240-631-3280
BurrowsR@ebsi.com
Media Contact:
Lynn Kieffer
Vice President, Corporate Communications
240-631-3391
KiefferL@ebsi.com