Rockville, Md.-based Emergent BioSolutions received a task order June 1 from the U.S. government to ramp up its contract development and manufacturing capabilities to expedite the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines.
The task order, which is valued at approximately $628 million, came under an existing contract with HHS. It seeks to deploy Emergent's contract development and manufacturing offering for production of COVID-19 vaccine candidates through 2021, creating a U.S.-based supply chain.
The production will take place at Emergent's Baltimore Bayview Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing, a facility established in 2012 via a partnership with HHS. The facility, which is designated for rapid manufacturing of treatments and vaccines during public health emergencies, can manufacture hundreds of millions of doses of vaccine yearly.
The task order will also extend viral and non-viral drug product production capabilities at Emergent's Rockville and Baltimore Camden facilities.