The nearly $200 million, five-year contract between HHS’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and the biopharmaceutical company Emergent BioSolutions, headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., will work to complete developmental steps required for the company to apply for vaccine licensure with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The phase 2 trial will evaluate the vaccine’s safety and if it interacts with an antibiotic typically used in an anthrax treatment regimen. The phase 3 trial will test the vaccine’s efficacy.
“Fifteen years ago this month, anthrax was used as a weapon of domestic terrorism in the U.S. and its use remains a threat today,” said Richard Hatchett, MD, acting director of BARDA. “BARDA is sponsoring the development of NuThrax to help better protect our nation from this threat. This vaccine could provide protection in fewer doses than the anthrax vaccine currently available, potentially producing better health outcomes if it was needed during a public health emergency.”
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