Sen. Feinstein urges CDC to set COVID-19 vaccine distribution guidelines
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is calling on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue guidelines that will maximize vaccine distribution. In a letter to CDC Director Robert Redfield, Feinstein pointed out that some vaccine providers have reported leftover doses, doses... Read More »
DHS addresses emerging risks in Arctic Region
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has approved a document addressing emerging risks in the Arctic region amid expanded geopolitical interest and competition. On Jan. 11, then-Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad F. Wolf approved the Department’s inaugural Strategic Approach for... Read More »
BIRD Foundation unveils project funding initiative
The Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation has awarded two projects a total of $1.5 million to address homeland security threat detection and 3D mapping technologies. The BIRD Homeland Security (HLS) program is a joint initiative funded by the Department of... Read More »
U.S. government negotiates ability to purchase more than 2 million additional Eli Lilly COVID-19 treatments
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) will be able to purchase more than 2 million additional COVID-19 antibody treatments due to modifications to an existing agreement with Eli Lilly and Company. The therapeutic in question,... Read More »
BARDA to provide funding, technical assistance and expertise to DiaSorin combo COVID-19/influenza test
As DiaSorin Molecular LLC works to create a combination diagnostic for differentiating between influenza A/B and COVID-19, it will receive funding, technical assistance, and the expertise of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). The announcement, made this week,... Read More »
Rep. Trone: ‘All hands on deck’ needed to end opioid-related deaths
State and federal legislators must accomplish more to help protect Marylanders and other Americans from overdose deaths during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-MD) said Wednesday. “The devastating increases in overdose deaths throughout my district and the state of... Read More »
Senators urge Trump administration to develop national COVID vaccine plan
A group of U.S. Senators recently demanded that the Trump administration take immediate action to remedy the COVID-19 vaccine distribution failures. Specifically, the 43 senators are calling on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar to develop and implement a national vaccine plan.... Read More »
Bechtel-led plant in Kentucky safely destroys chemical weapons
Officials at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant in Richmond, Ky., began destroying its next batch of chemical weapons, bringing the nation closer to its goal of eradicating the national stockpile by 2023. Specifically, a 155-millimeter artillery projectile filled with VX nerve... Read More »
Process examines illicit nuclear trade exposure
A Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS) and Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) report has determined a blueprint for identifying high-risk or illicit nuclear trade activities at scale. Signals in the Noise: Preventing Nuclear Proliferation with Machine Learning & Publicly Available... Read More »
Measure would establish commission to investigate U.S. Capitol attack
Three lawmakers have introduced a bill they said would establish a national commission responsible for investigating the domestic terrorist attack on the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Reps. Rodney Davis (R-IL), John Katko (R-NY), and James Comer (R-KY) noted the commission would consist... Read More »
European Commission, Valneva in advanced discussisons to supply up to 60M doses of COVID-19 vaccine candidate
Valneva SE and the European Commission (EC) are discussing the possibility of the specialty vaccine company supplying up to 60 million doses of its inactivated, adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccine, VLA2001, for use throughout Europe. “Today’s announcement helps to ensure that millions of Europeans... Read More »
U.S. government buys extra 1.25M doses of Regeneron’s COVID-19 antibody therapeutic
The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Defense (DoD) shored up the national supply of casirivimab and imdevimab this week with the purchase of another 1.25 million doses of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s combo monoclonal antibody therapeutic for COVID-19. Regeneron is... Read More »
Specialty vaccine company Valneva appoints new interim COO, acting CFO
Specialty vaccine company Valneva appointed Perry Celentano as its interim chief operating officer (COO). Celentano will serve in the interim role to support the company’s expansion of the manufacturing sites in Livingston, U.K., and Solna, Sweden. Perry will be based at Valneva’s... Read More »
Rep. Norton, Sen. Van Hollen call on Congress to fully fund DC security fund
U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) are calling on Congress to fully fund the District of Columbia emergency planning and security fund (EPSF). The EPSF pays for the unique public safety and security costs the District incurs as the nation’s capital. It is... Read More »