DoD, HHS award contract enabling prefilled syringes for future COVID-19 vaccine

The U.S. Departments of Defense (DoD) and Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded a $138 million contract to ApiJect Systems America for Project Jumpstart and RAPID USA, two programs designed to expand U.S. production of medical-grade injection devices.

The contract will create a U.S.-based supply chain for prefilled syringes by using Blow-Fill-Seal (BFS) aseptic plastics manufacturing technology, suitable for combatting COVID-19 when a vaccine becomes available. By upgrading existing domestic BFS facilities with installations of filling-line and technical improvements, the project will enable the manufacture of more than 100 million prefilled syringes for distribution across the United States by year-end 2020.

“The contract also enables ApiJect Systems America to accelerate the launch of RAPID USA manufactured in new and permanent U.S.-based BFS facilities with the ultimate production goal of over 500 million prefilled syringes (doses) in 2021. This effort will be executed initially in Connecticut, South Carolina, and Illinois, with potential expansion to other U.S.-based locations. RAPID will provide increased lifesaving capability against future national health emergencies that require population-scale vaccine administration on an urgent basis,” Lt. Col. Mike Andrews, Department of Defense spokesman, said.

This initiative will help decrease the U.S. dependence on offshore supply chains and its reliance on older technologies with much longer production lead times.