Protein Sciences bags mega contract from US HHS for influenza vaccines

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has awarded Protein Sciences Corporation a contract that is part of the authority’s medical counter-measures against pandemic influenza and influenza strains with pandemic potential. Protein Sciences specialises in vaccine development and protein production.

Protein Sciences will perform the contract using its proprietary platform technology for producing vaccines that according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revolutionised influenza vaccine manufacturing and stands to receive up to $ 610 million through 2021 if BARDA exercises all options. 

The company’s Flublok (seasonal) and Panblok (pandemic) influenza vaccines can be made with unprecedented speed, safety and precision. The new contract with BARDA taps into this technology and ensures the country will be prepared with sufficient supplies of vaccine in a timely manner should an influenza pandemic strike. The contract will finance preparation of starting materials for multiple potential pandemics that could shave a month or more off the time when the Company will have a vaccine available.