Countermeasures
Air Force officials said the branch has awarded a $91.8 million task order to KBR, Inc. to provide engineering services for aircraft and other system components.
The scope of work will involve elements managed by the 448th Supply Chain Management Wing (SCMW), focusing on research, analysis, and... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) joined U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Jared Golden (D-ME) in forwarding correspondence to President Joe Biden detailing opposition to the elimination of a DDG-51 Flight III destroyer from the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget.
The... Read More »
In four months, a Bechtel-led team has managed to destroy approximately 60 tons of VX nerve agent contained in 155-millimeter artillery projectiles, pulling the United States closer to an international chemical weapons reduction goal.
“This is an important milestone for the team,” Ron Hink,... Read More »
With $4.2 million in funding from the Henry Jackson Foundation and a new partnership with the U.S. Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Centivax Inc. intends to pursue phase one clinical development of Centi-B9, a broad-spectrum injectable for treating SARS-CoV-2.
Unlike other vaccines and... Read More »
The leaders of the international organizations for financing, health, and trade are urging government leaders to finance a new $50 billion roadmap to help end the pandemic and spur global economic recovery.
Leaders of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, World Health Organization,... Read More »
Basel, Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company BioVersys has secured a $4.35 million funding allotment from CARB-X to develop new antibiotics to treat life-threatening infections caused by ESKAPE pathogens.
The pathogens are identified as bacteria that have developed resistance to most current,... Read More »
Rep. Ted W. Lieu (D-CA) has introduced a measure designed to bolster government vendor cybersecurity.
The Improving Contractor Cybersecurity Act would amend the federal contracts title to require vendors seeking to conduct business with the government to maintain vulnerability disclosure... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched its first venture capital public-private partnership dedicated to developing technologies and medical products for public health emergencies with the nonprofit Global Health Investment Corporation (GHIC).
“While we tackle the... Read More »
Following its development by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) began a human, phase one clinical trial to determine the safety and immunogenicity of a nanoparticle-based, universal influenza... Read More »
U.S Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Nancy Mace (R-SC) introduced legislation to boost America’s cybersecurity capabilities Friday.
The Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce Program Act would invest in the cyber workforce and allow cyber professionals to broaden their experience and knowledge base... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently reintroduced the Law Enforcement Training For Mental Health Crisis Response Act, which was designed to improve police training best practices.
The legislation was presented by U.S. Reps. Tim Ryan (D-OH), Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Stephanie Bice... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced last week a bill designed to devise a southern border strategic plan and establish a contingency fund to address plan activation.
The Border Response Resilience Act would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and federal... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Conor Lamb (D-PA) sought legislative action on foreign nations’ health efforts last week, introducing the Never Again International Outbreak Prevention Act to establish new monitoring and reporting mandates, sanctions, and an investigation of the World... Read More »
After months of operating under the ongoing pandemic, Moderna, Inc. announced this week that it has initiated the Biologics License Application (BLA) process with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to gain full approval of its mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
This approval would make... Read More »
President Joe Biden’s first budget proposal would authorize the largest funding increase in nearly two decades for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), going above and beyond funding the agency’s disease-focused work at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced a new security directive Thursday that will allow it to better identify, protect against and respond to threats to critical companies in the pipeline sector.
The new directive requires critical... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced last week that it has partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to foster enhanced information sharing and public outreach regarding counterfeit goods importation.
A memorandum of understanding on information sharing has been established and... Read More »
Renco Corporation has secured a $13.1 million contract via the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to bolster domestic nitrile gloves production.
Under the agreement, the initiative enables Renco to increase the production capacity of nitrile gloves... Read More »
Another COVID-19 vaccine may soon be on the way: Sanofi and GSK began enrollment for a phase three, global clinical study of their adjuvanted recombinant-protein vaccine candidate, with the anticipation it could be approved by the end of the year.
Approval will, of course, depend on results, and... Read More »
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the COVID-19 pandemic situation is stabilizing in nations with advanced vaccination programs, but it is surging in other, less equipped areas, demanding action lest the future become a repeat of present failures.
WHO urges the distribution of 2... Read More »
A new collaborative effort between Battelle, a science and technology research and development firm headquartered in Columbus, Ohio; the Ohio State University; and Northwestern University hopes to combat the “infodemic” of false and misleading information online surrounding the COVID-19... Read More »
The Department of Defense (DoD) and Health and Human Services (HHS) have established a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to partner in defeating COVID-19 while preparing for future public health emergencies.
The agreement establishes the framework of DoD continuing to support HHS with... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is initiating an endeavor designed to address the rise of major violent crimes nationwide.
“We renew our commitment to reducing violent crime and building strong communities where all Americans are safe,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said. “The... Read More »
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) awarded $7.1 million grant funding to an Oxford University study assessing if COVID-19 vaccine regimens can be mixed.
These funds will complement $3 million of funding already granted from the U.K. government and support from the... Read More »
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added another tool to the fight against COVID-19 this week, granting emergency use authorization (EUA) to the monoclonal antibody therapy sotrovimab for use against mild to moderate COVID-19 cases in those 12 years and older.
The EUA was granted to... Read More »
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials said the agency is continuing to prepare for increased travel volumes in advance of the Memorial Day holiday weekend and summer months.
“As we head into a summer where we hope to see a tremendous reemergence of domestic travel and the... Read More »
Curtiss-Wright Corporation announced that it has secured a series of Navy contracts in excess of $130 million to aid naval defense platforms.
The scope of work includes providing propulsion valves, pumps, and advanced instrumentation and control systems for the Navy’s Virginia-class... Read More »
The nonprofit Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) | bio virtually convened an interdisciplinary group of experts and world leaders earlier this month to push for a global organization to reduce biotechnology risks, promote biosecurity and strengthen international oversight of life sciences... Read More »
Thanks to a $400,000 grant from The Rockefeller Foundation, the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security will document, evaluate and spread information on large-scale health successes among the COVID-19 response in low and middle-income nations over the past year.
This information will be used... Read More »
Academia and the private sector must be in a collaborative relationship with the United States government to invest in the research and development of technologies that will prevent a future pandemic, experts said on Wednesday during a webinar hosted by the Capitol Hill Steering Committee on... Read More »
A phase two clinical study of the Emergent BioSolutions, Inc. chikungunya virus vaccine candidate has been shown to spur antibodies, reflecting a persistent immune response for two years, after just a single dose.
There is currently no vaccine to prevent or treat chikungunya virus infection,... Read More »
In advance of what is predicted to be another busy hurricane season, the Biden administration has allocated $1 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for pre-disaster mitigation resources to prepare for extreme weather events and other disasters.
Meeting with homeland... Read More »
Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) officials said the organization has expanded its partnership with SK bioscience to develop a vaccine to combat SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern.
The agreement calls for CEPI to earmark up to $173.4 million for SK bioscience's to COVID-19... Read More »
The AFL-CIO, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and the United States Footwear Manufacturers Association are among 20 union and stakeholder organizations supporting the Make PPE in America Act.
The unions and stakeholder organizations recently forwarded correspondence to Majority... Read More »
Plans are underway to submit the Moderna, Inc. COVID-19 vaccine to regulators in early June to expand its use, following positive results from a Phase 2/3 study that distributed the vaccine among adolescents aged 12 to 17 years old.
The vaccine, known as mRNA-1273, met its primary immunogenicity... Read More »
