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Emergent BioSolutions Applauds Passage and Signing of BARDA Legislation

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GAITHERSBURG, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS), a leader in biodefense medical countermeasures, today applauded Congress and President Bush as he signed into law the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, which authorizes appropriations through 2011 to improve bioterrorism and other public health emergency planning and preparedness activities and creates the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, under the direction of the Department of Health and Human Services, which will be focused on directing advanced research and development of vaccines and therapeutics for use against biological attacks.


“I congratulate Congress on passing this comprehensive legislation and the President for signing it into law. It is an important signal to the biopharmaceutical industry regarding the government’s commitment to access effective bioterror countermeasures,” said Fuad El-Hibri, chairman and chief executive officer of Emergent BioSolutions. “This legislation should enable the U.S. Government to better develop, procure and make available countermeasures that can help protect Americans in a public health emergency. With a more streamlined procurement process and the establishment of a National Biodefense Science Board, among other items, the BARDA bill is clearly a significant and positive step forward in strengthening our nation’s bio-security strategy.”

Among the products in its biodefense product portfolio, Emergent BioSolutions manufactures and sells BioThrax® (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed), the only vaccine licensed by the FDA for the prevention of anthrax, and is developing an anthrax immune globulin, a botulinum vaccine and a botulinum immune globulin. The Company is also developing commercial vaccines to help fight infectious disease with unmet or underserved medical needs.

Before being signed by President Bush, the legislation passed both houses of Congress with broad bipartisan support. Sponsors of the legislation from the U.S. House of Representatives included Congressman Mike Rogers (R-MI) who championed the bill along with sponsorship from Representatives Burgess (R-TX), Capps (D-NY), Clyburn (D-NC), Eshoo (D-CA), Ferguson (R-NJ), Gordon (D-TN), Hoekstra (R-MI), Jefferson (D-LA), McHugh (R-NY), Shimkus (R-IL), and Wynn (D-MD). From the U.S. Senate, cosponsors included Senators Burr (R-NC), Kennedy (D-MA), Frist (R-TN), Bayh (D-IN), Enzi (R-WY), Clinton (D-NY), Gregg (R-NH), Harkin (D-IA), Mikulski (D-MD), Hatch (R-UT), Alexander (R-TN), Isakson (R-GA), DeWine (R-OH), and Roberts (R-KS).

About Emergent BioSolutions Inc.

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacture and commercialization of immunobiotics. Immunobiotics are vaccines and immune globulins that induce or assist the body’s immune system to prevent or treat disease. The company’s biodefense business is focused on developing and commercializing immunobiotics for use against biological agents that are potential weapons of bioterrorism. The company’s commercial business is focused on developing immunobiotics for use against infectious diseases with significant unmet or underserved medical needs. More information on the company is available at www.emergentbiosolutions.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements, other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management and any other statements containing the words “believes”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “estimates” and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including our plans for future sales of BioThrax®; our plans to pursue label expansions and improvements for BioThrax®; our plans to expand our manufacturing facilities and capabilities; the rate and degree of market acceptance and clinical utility of our products; our ongoing and planned development programs; preclinical studies and clinical trials; our ability to identify and acquire or in license products and product candidates that satisfy our selection criteria; the potential benefits of our existing collaboration agreements and our ability to enter into selective additional collaboration arrangements; the timing of and our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for our product candidates; our commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy; our intellectual property portfolio; and our estimates regarding expenses, future revenue, capital requirements and needs for additional financing; and other factors identified in the company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 and subsequent reports filed with the SEC. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press release.

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