Emergent BioSolutions bags $1.6 bn contract for anthrax vaccine in US

Emergent BioSolutions Inc has signed a multi-year contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), which is a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, for the advanced development and delivery of NuThrax (anthrax vaccine adsorbed with CPG 7909 adjuvant), the company’s next generation anthrax vaccine candidate. 

The contract, valued at up to approximately $1.6 billion, consists of a five-year base period of performance valued at approximately $ 200 million to develop NuThrax for post-exposure prophylaxis of anthrax disease and to deliver to the strategic national stockpile (SNS) an initial two million doses following Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) pre-approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

The company anticipates that FDA could authorise NuThrax for emergency use as early as 2018, triggering deliveries of NuThrax to the SNS in 2019. The contract also includes procurement options for the delivery of an additional 7.5 million to 50 million doses of NuThrax to the SNS, valued from approximately $ 255 million to up to $ 1.4 billion, respectively, and options for an additional clinical study and post-marketing commitments valued at $ 48 million, which if both were to be exercised in full, would increase the total contract value to up to $1.6 billion.

“Emergent is pleased that BARDA has selected NuThrax to address the US government’s desire for a next generation anthrax vaccine with an enhanced product profile that includes requiring fewer doses and eliciting a faster immune response,” said Daniel Abdun-Nabi, president and chief executive officer of Emergent BioSolutions. 

Under the terms of the contract, activities to be completed under the base period of performance include licensure-enabling non-clinical and clinical studies, the manufacture and delivery of initial doses to the SNS, and submission of a biologics license application to the US FDA with an expected FDA-licensure under the Animal Rule. 

NuThrax is comprised of BioThrax (anthrax vaccine adsorbed) in combination with the immunostimulatory oligodeoxynucleotide compound CPG 7909. Its safety, efficacy, and stability have been established through several Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical studies.

Since 2008, Emergent has received five grants and contracts funded by BARDA and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases totalling approximately $127 million for the early stage and advanced development of NuThrax, including development of a dry formulation for the vaccine candidate.