BARDA expands contracts with Bavarian Nordic on smallpox vaccine

The U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) placed a new order under the contract awarded in 2017 to Bavarian Nordic for the manufacturing and supply of Jynneos, a smallpox and monkeypox vaccine.

The new award is for $202 million. It is in addition to the existing option to manufacture approximately 13 million freeze-dried doses worth $299 million that Bavarian expects to start manufacturing in 2022 following approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The contract expansion, which covers two years, includes the manufacturing of additional bulk vaccine of up to 1.4 million doses of liquid frozen Jynneos. This is the first order from the U.S. Government following the approval of Jynneos by the FDA in September 2019. It will ensure the availability of a licensed smallpox vaccine in the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) for potential use by first-line responders.

“We are very pleased to announce this new order for JYNNEOS, which shows the continued strong support and success of our public-private partnership with the US Government to supply biological countermeasures,” Paul Chaplin, president and CEO of Bavarian Nordic, said. “As part of our commitment to supply vaccines to protect American citizens, we have invested more than USD 75 million in a state-of-the-art fill and finish facility, and with additional support from BARDA, we will be able to take control of the entire manufacturing cycle for both the liquid frozen and freeze-dried formulations of JYNNEOS and make this vaccine available to first-line responders for an improved preparedness against both smallpox and monkeypox.”

Jynneos was developed in partnership with the U.S. Government to ensure that all populations can be protected from smallpox, including people with weakened immune systems.

“While BARDA and the world focuses on the current coronavirus pandemic, other threats to national health security remain,” said Gary Disbrow, acting director at BARDA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “At BARDA, we are committed to meeting the needs of Americans and to engaging private partners in continually improving our nation’s security.”