VaxGen again delays anthrax vaccine delivery
Reuters
California pharmaceutical firm VaxGen Inc. has further delayed shipment to the U.S government a new version of its anthrax vaccine, an element of the U.S. bio-warfare defense program, the Washington Post reported on Friday.
VaxGen Inc. officials said in interviews that their vaccine had failed in a key human trial, putting the company at least a year behind schedule, the newspaper said.
The Brisbane, California-based company has an $877 million contract to supply 75 million doses of the vaccine.
VaxGen said in November that it expected to begin deliveries to the government for its emergency stockpiles in the fourth quarter of 2006, instead of the first half of the year as originally planned. The delay was announced after U.S. regulators tightened requirements for the product.
President George W. Bush's Project BioShield encourages companies to develop -- and allows the government to buy -- drugs, vaccines and other products that might protect Americans against a biological, chemical or nuclear attack.
Anthrax is considered the top biological weapon threat.
The Washington Post reported that a VaxGen test completed last year found that its anthrax vaccine was unstable and lost potency within months.
VaxGen scientists said the problem was easy to fix, but they would not be certain of a solution until additional tests were completed, including another human trial slated to begin later this year, the newspaper said.
VaxGen officials acknowledged that they have no hope of meeting a deadline to deliver 25 million doses of the vaccine into a national stockpile by November, the report said.
The officials also acknowledged they would default on their contract with the government unless it granted an extension they have requested, the paper said.
According to the Post, officials at the Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment on the problem but said VaxGen was required to deliver a product of acceptable stability to the government.
California pharmaceutical firm VaxGen Inc. has further delayed shipment to the U.S government a new version of its anthrax vaccine, an element of the U.S. bio-warfare defense program, the Washington Post reported on Friday.
VaxGen Inc. officials said in interviews that their vaccine had failed in a key human trial, putting the company at least a year behind schedule, the newspaper said.
The Brisbane, California-based company has an $877 million contract to supply 75 million doses of the vaccine.
VaxGen said in November that it expected to begin deliveries to the government for its emergency stockpiles in the fourth quarter of 2006, instead of the first half of the year as originally planned. The delay was announced after U.S. regulators tightened requirements for the product.
President George W. Bush's Project BioShield encourages companies to develop -- and allows the government to buy -- drugs, vaccines and other products that might protect Americans against a biological, chemical or nuclear attack.
Anthrax is considered the top biological weapon threat.
The Washington Post reported that a VaxGen test completed last year found that its anthrax vaccine was unstable and lost potency within months.
VaxGen scientists said the problem was easy to fix, but they would not be certain of a solution until additional tests were completed, including another human trial slated to begin later this year, the newspaper said.
VaxGen officials acknowledged that they have no hope of meeting a deadline to deliver 25 million doses of the vaccine into a national stockpile by November, the report said.
The officials also acknowledged they would default on their contract with the government unless it granted an extension they have requested, the paper said.
According to the Post, officials at the Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment on the problem but said VaxGen was required to deliver a product of acceptable stability to the government.
