Acambis gains second smallpox vaccine contract

Published: 1-Feb-2005


UK/US biotech company Acambis has been awarded a contract worth up to US$131m by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), part of the US National Institutes of Health, for the manufacture and development of a modified vaccinia ankara (MVA) vaccine. Acambis is co-developing its MVA vaccine candidate with Baxter Healthcare.

MVA is a weakened form of smallpox vaccine that is being developed for use in people for whom the traditional smallpox vaccine is contraindicated.

The NIAID funding is split between core contract requirements and an optional manufacturing section. The core component of the contract, worth approximately $76m, requires Acambis to manufacture, fill, finish and release half a million single-dose vials of MVA and to carry out development work.

The Acambis-Baxter partnership was awarded an initial $9.2m contract in February 2003 for development and manufacture of its MVA vaccine candidate.

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