News
Pfizer, BioNTech SE reveal lab study findings on Omicron variant
Pfizer and BioNTech officials recently provided an update regarding the Omicron variant, noting results of an initial laboratory study demonstrating serum antibodies via BNT162b2 neutralize the variant after three doses. “Although two doses of the vaccine may still offer protection against... Read More »
AstraZeneca COVID-19 antibodies garner FDA approval
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved this week an emergency use authorization (EUA) for AstraZeneca’s Evusheld, authorizing the use of monoclonal antibodies to reduce specific COVID-19 risk. Evusheld is tixagevimab co-packaged with cilgavimab and administered together to... Read More »
Public awareness campaign urges support for program to end pandemic threat
The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense announced launched a public awareness campaign Wednesday to support the Apollo Program for Biodefense, a project that aims to eliminate pandemics in ten years and reduce other biological threats. The campaign, similar in scope and importance to landing... Read More »
New report shows countries around the world remain ill-prepared for another pandemic
A new report from the Nuclear Threat Initiative has found that nations around the world remain “dangerously unprepared” to meet future epidemic and pandemic threats, The report – the 2021 Global Health Security (GHS) Index -- measured the capacities of 195 countries to prepare for... Read More »
Lockheed S-70M Black Hawk helicopter receives FAA airworthiness certification
Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky division has received a Restricted Category Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its S-70M Black Hawk helicopter. “With type certification, new production S-70M Black Hawk helicopters in the latest configuration are... Read More »
CDC awards $22M to combat infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Tuesday that it has awarded $22 million to nearly 30 organizations across the globe to combat antimicrobial resistance (AR) and other healthcare threats. The CDC also established two new networks – the Global Action in Healthcare... Read More »
DHS, federal officials meet with private sector firms to discuss cybersecurity challenges
Officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security met with leading technology and cybersecurity industry executives to discuss how the federal government and the private sector work together better to tackle key cybersecurity challenges. The meeting was attended by Homeland Security... Read More »
DHS extends Cooling Solutions Challenge submission deadline
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended the deadline for DHS Cooling Solutions Challenge submissions to Feb. 24, 2022. Through the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), DHS is encouraging domestic innovators to develop... Read More »
Congress eyes new international biothreat organization
Members of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee expressed support for a proposed initiative that would create an international organization aimed at detecting and preventing new biological threats, either unintentionally developed or intentionally introduced by rogue actors, like terrorists or... Read More »
Reps. Franklin, Comer seek update regarding foreign adversaries benefits theft
U.S. Reps. Scott Franklin (R-FL) and James Comer (R-KY) recently forwarded correspondence to the Justice Department, seeking an update regarding efforts to address COVID-19 relief benefits stolen by transnational and state-sponsored organizations. The representatives cited a report that found... Read More »
DHS releases synthetic opioids reference guide
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has released a new Master Question List (MQL) for Synthetic Opioids. The MQL serves as a reference guide as a means of aiding emergency responders and the research community by providing critical and vetted... Read More »
CEPI expands Britstone vaccine agreement with $5M investment for Phase 1 Omicron trial
With a new disease variant come further questions of vaccine viability and new tests, and this week, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) announced an expansion of a vaccine agreement with Gritstone bio Inc. to test its mRNA COVID-19 vaccine against the Omicron variant.... Read More »
USAID announces Global Vaccine Access initiative
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced Monday it was creating a new whole-of-government effort, the Initiative for Global Vaccine Access (Global VAX), to accelerate efforts worldwide to provide COVID-19 shots and overcome access barriers to vaccines, with a priority on... Read More »
BARDA initiates second phase in $500,000 contest for new mask prototypes
For a world where masks are among the new norms, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has launched the second phase of a $500,000 contest to develop creative, comfortable, and effective new mask designs for the public. For this competition, BARDA is working with the... Read More »
Heat Biologics unveils RapidVax vaccine platform for customizable, easily stockpiled counter to biological threats
Clinical stage biopharmaceutical company Heat Biologics, Inc. recently unveiled a new cellular vaccine platform that it says is designed to allow quicker manufacturing, greater stockpiling and customizability suited to combating a wide range of biological threats. The emergence of the Omicron... Read More »
ICE details U.S-Brazil human smuggling ring disruption
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently detailed a United States-Brazil collaboration that disrupted a major human trafficking operation. ICE officials indicated a probe spearheaded by the agency's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in conjunction with the Department of... Read More »
DHS leading fight against human trafficking, White House report shows
According to a report released Friday by the White House, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is leading the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to combat human trafficking. DHS helped the White House develop a whole-of-government National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking,... Read More »
Armed forces join Japan in bilateral training exercise
The U.S. Marines, Navy, and Army will join Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) members for a bilateral training exercise in multiple training locations across Japan. Resolute Dragon 2021 involves almost 2,650 Marines from across III MEF, representing all functions of the Fleet Marine Force.... Read More »
BARDA reopens abstract submissions in search of repurposed therapeutics for DRIVe ReDIRECT program
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) reopened submissions for redeveloping therapeutics into medical countermeasures against chemical threats last week. Of interest are therapeutics already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or those in... Read More »
Mix and match of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 booster increases antibody, T-cell responses
Preliminary results from a Phase 2 mix and match trial of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 booster vaccine are in, and they determined that administered six months after a vaccination routine of BioNTech and Pfizer’s BNT162b2, both antibody and T-cell responses rise. The independent study,... Read More »
CEPI, Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp. to jointly fund booster trial combining MVC’s COVID-19 vaccine with others
As part of a trial co-funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp. (MVC), researchers will mix and match COVID-19 boosters focusing on combinations of MVC’s vaccine candidate and others. “As we strive to stay one step ahead of... Read More »
Gavi to invest $155.7M into malaria vaccine rollout for sub-Saharan Africa through 2025
Last week, the board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, approved an initial investment of $155.7 million to support the introduction, acquisition, and delivery of malaria vaccines throughout eligible nations in sub-Saharan Africa between 2022 and 2025. The public-private health organization hopes... Read More »
Bipartisan Policy Center issues report on modernizing U.S. public healthcare systems
A new report from the Bipartisan Policy Center makes recommendations on modernizing the U.S. public healthcare systems in light of the challenges the country has faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report, Public health Forward: Modernizing the U.S. Public Health System, outlines critical... Read More »
DHS details new surface transportation cybersecurity requirements
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials said the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has unveiled Security Directives to address surface transportation systems and associated infrastructure cybersecurity threats. “These new cybersecurity requirements and recommendations will... Read More »
Reps. Kinzinger, Eshoo tout House passage of cybersecurity measures
U.S. Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) commended House of Representatives colleagues for passing a pair of bills Kinzinger introduced that he said are designed to bolster cybersecurity. The American Cybersecurity Literacy Act (H.R. 4055) requires the National Telecommunications... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Portman, Padilla introduce legislation to improve transparency of federal disaster relief spending
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Rob Portman (R-OH), and Alex Padilla (D-CA) introduced legislation Wednesday that would increase the transparency in what the federal government spends money on when it comes to disasters and emergencies – including pandemics, wildfires, and flooding. The... Read More »
Battelle secures Department of State armored vehicle pact
Battelle announced that it has secured a Large Sport Utility Vehicle (LSUV) design contract from the Department of State (DoS) to develop armored Ford Expeditions. “Battelle is proud to bring its depth of engineering skills to DSS and other government agencies seeking armored vehicles... Read More »
Reps. Pallone, Doyle praise House cybersecurity legislation passage
Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) applauded the House of Representatives' passage of three cybersecurity bills. “The House came together to pass three critical bipartisan bills that aim to... Read More »
World Health Assembly to draft global agreement to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response
This week, the World Health Assembly announced that it intends to jumpstart a process to draft and negotiate a global agreement to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The decision came with the ongoing -- and evolving -- COVID-19 pandemic firmly in mind and will utilize... Read More »
Soligenix vaccine for Sudan ebolavirus demonstrates 100 percent protection in primate testing
Results from non-human primate testing of a Soligenix, Inc.-developed Bivalent Thermostabilized Filovirus vaccine, released this week, suggested 100 percent protection provided against the Sudan ebolavirus among dosed non-human primates. The single vial vaccine is meant to target both the... Read More »
Former congresswoman, former FDA commissioner join Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense
Former U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks, a Republican who represented the 5th District of Indiana from 2013-2021, and former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Peggy Hamburg, who served as the agency’s 21st commissioner between 2009-2015, have joined the Bipartisan Commission on... Read More »
Silverlon receives FDA Breakthrough Device designation
Argentum Medical, a Geneva, Ill.-based medical device company, announced Tuesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had granted its Silverlon Wound Contact, Burn Contact Dressings a Breakthrough Device designation. The FDA’s Breakthrough Device Program creates a pathway for... Read More »
Advisory committee endorses Merck oral COVID antiviral, company presses for FDA emergency authorization
A 13-10 vote by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee (AMDAC) set the stage for recommending Emergency Use Authorization of the Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics oral COVID-19 antiviral molnupiravir this week. The narrow backing followed a... Read More »
INOVIO to rapidly test two COVID-19 vaccine candidates against, develop new candidate for Omicron variant
Moving quickly to address concerns raised by the Omicron COVID-19 variant, following its discovery last week, INOVIO announced it will evaluate two of its COVID-19 DNA vaccine candidates against the variant and has begun pre-clinical development of another specifically tailored to it. Omicron... Read More »