News
CDC to provide $2.1 billion from American Rescue Plan to strengthen infection preparation
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) intends to invest $2.1 billion to improve infection prevention and control activities at the state, local and territorial levels, and better improve national capabilities to prepare for emerging infectious diseases. These funds... Read More »
Florida lawmakers urge HHS to reverse decision on monoclonal antibody drug rationing
A group of lawmakers from Florida are encouraging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reverse its decision to ration monoclonal antibody (mAb) drugs for COVID-19 outpatient treatment. The lawmakers said the HHS decision would result in Florida facing a deficit of doses. Sen.... Read More »
CBP cracking down on counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination cards and fake Pfizer inoculation seals
Since August 16, 2021, United States Customers and Border Protection (CBP) officers have reported seizing as many as five shipments of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards, amounting to 1,683 total forged cards and 2,034 equally counterfeit Pfizer inoculation stickers. It’s a growing problem as the... Read More »
Bill seeks to initiate war funding controls
A pair of lawmakers introduced a bill that seeks to place Congressional controls on the use of emergency funding for enduring wars. Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Mike Braun (R-IN) maintain the Restraining Emergency War Spending Act prescribes a statutory definition to classify emergency war... Read More »Bill targets essential medicines ingredients stockpile
A pair of lawmakers have introduced a bill they said seeks to create an emergency supply of key ingredients used in essential generic medicines. Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) maintain the bipartisan Promoting Readiness and Ensuring Proper Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient... Read More »
COVID-19 Global Vaccination Caucus sees $2 billion for vaccine manufacturing as mere starting point
While buoyed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s advancement of the Build Back Better Act, and the offerings therein, the United States COVID-19 Global Vaccination Caucus chimed in last week to note that its offers for vaccine manufacturing are just a beginning. The caucus consists of... Read More »
International organizations, vaccine manufacturers agree to intensify vaccine delivery
Leaders of several international organizations including the International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization met with the CEOs of leading vaccine manufacturing companies to discuss way to improve low- and lower-middle income countries’... Read More »
Rubio introduces legislation designating Taliban as terrorist organization
U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined forces in introducing legislation directing the U.S. Secretary of State to designate the Afghan Taliban as a terrorist organization. The... Read More »
BARDA Transatlantic Taskforce launches fourth phase to counter antimicrobial resistance
The fourth implementation phase of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority’s (BARDA) Transatlantic Taskforce for Antimicrobial Resistance (TATFAR) began this week, opening a new round of efforts to mobilize investment to fight growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). To... Read More »
New clinical data shows Moderna COVID-19 vaccine still highly effective against variants
According to new data from clinical trials highlighted by Moderna, Inc. this week, its debut COVID-19 vaccine, mRNA-1273, continues to be highly effective against COVID-19, providing 96 percent efficacy against hospitalization and 87 percent against infection. The data -- from a study at Kaiser... Read More »
DHS S&T soliciting JamX 22 exercise participation
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) officials said the agency is seeking participants for the 2022 First Responder Electronic Jamming Exercise (JamX 22). There has been a Request for Information (RFI) issued for the endeavor at White Sands Missile... Read More »
DOD funds earmarked for additional monoclonal antibodies doses
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company have secured Department of Defense (DOD) contracts to produce additional doses of monoclonal antibodies to block the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2. Authorities indicated the $3.2 billion total allotment is in coordination with the Department... Read More »
NTI research identifies lack of political will, attention to nuclear security
In a new paper, researchers from the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) found that nuclear security now exists in something of a patchwork: from individual states’ domestic regulations and policies, to informal groups of countries working on aspects of security and more formal binding... Read More »
Graham, Waltz urge State Department to designate Taliban as terrorist organization
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) introduced resolutions Tuesday urging Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to designate the Afghan Taliban as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The resolution introduced into both chambers of Congress calls for freezing the Government of... Read More »
KBR, Adarga form AI partnership
Global technology firm KBR has formed a partnership with artificial intelligence (AI) analytics software developer Adarga as a means of bolstering defense and national security initiatives, officials said. Authorities indicated the collaboration would result in the integration of Adarga's AI... Read More »
WHO, global health leaders in plea for accelerated vaccination efforts in Africa and abroad
Vaccine equity is in need of a boost globally, and in Africa in particular, and unless that changes, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and other health leaders said this week the COVID-19 pandemic may never end. Cooperation is the key to ending the... Read More »
DHS funds earmarked for explosives, drugs detection
South Dakota-based Synthetik Applied Technologies, LLC has secured a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program award to develop explosives and illicit drugs detection technology. Officials indicated Synthetik Applied Technologies, LLC was selected... Read More »
DHS funds earmarked for UAS counter research
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has earmarked over $1 million for research on countering potential unmanned aerial systems (UAS) threats. The funding allotment to the University of North Dakota (UND) stemmed from the efforts of Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) as a member of the Senate Homeland... Read More »
BARDA taps procurement option for approximately $112.5 million of SIGA oral smallpox treatment
Through a contract with SIGA Technologies, Inc., the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has exercised a procurement option to obtain approximately $112.5 million worth of the oral TPOXX smallpox treatment this year. TPOXX is an orally administered and IV formulation... Read More »
Maryland lawmakers applaud FEMA grant for public health emergency preparedness
A group of Maryland lawmakers applauded President Joe Biden for granting their request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for federal disaster assistance through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). U.S. Reps. John Sarbanes (D-MD), Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), Dutch Ruppersberger... Read More »Emergent BioSolutions, Providence Therapeutics sign development, manufacturing agreement for COVID-19 vaccine
Gaithersburg, Md.-based Emergent BioSolutions Inc. and Canadian vaccine company Providence Therapeutics said on Tuesday they have entered into a $90 million, five-year development and manufacturing agreement to support Providence’s COVID-19 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine candidate. Already... Read More »
DoD updates guidance on procurement and operation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems
As of last week, the United States Department of Defense (DoD) updated guidance for the procurement and operation of its Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones, incorporating new commercial technological advancements and emphasizing threats of small and foreign UAS. Deputy Secretary of... Read More »
Lawmakers urge Biden to reduce role of nuclear weapons
U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and other Congress members urged President Joe Biden to limit the role of nuclear weapons in the country’s national security. In a letter to the President, the group pointed to Biden’s longstanding commitment to reducing the role of nuclear weapons, and... Read More »
Boeing tests advanced missile defense system
Boeing officials joined Missile Defense Agency (MDA) personnel in touting the recent successful demonstration of an advanced interceptor capability for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system. The exercise would assist in achieving the overarching goal of defending the nation from... Read More »
Bechtel details chemical weapons destruction campaign
Bechtel officials said the engineering, construction and project management company recently destroyed the final inventory of projectiles containing mustard agent. The company's Kentucky team initiated the third of five chemical weapons destruction initiatives completed at the Blue Grass... Read More »
Biden plans global COVID response summit as lawmakers call for increased vaccine aid
The Biden administration seeks an international summit on COVID-19 pandemic responses and to form a united global front for vaccination efforts, a proposal that could impact vaccine manufacturing, supply chains and even the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. Closer to home, though, U.S.... Read More »
BAE Systems secures DARPA aircraft design pact
BAE Systems officials said the firm has secured a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract to design a full scale demonstrator aircraft concept with Active Flow Control. “BAE Systems has been at the forefront of digital design for more than 20 years," Tom Fillingham, senior... Read More »
NY Gov. Hochul announces $40 million Biodefense Commercialization Fund
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday that her state would open up a $40 million Biodefense Commercialization Fund to support the state’s growing Life Science industry. The fund would provide grants to companies within the state working to bring to market infectious disease solutions... Read More »
Funds target World Trade Center health program for first responders
U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) is touting the inclusion of $2.86 billion for the 9/11 World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program in the Build Back Better Act. Officials said the funds would be included in the Energy and Commerce Committee’s portion of the measure, which is slated to be... Read More »
Novavax launches Phase 1/2 trial to chart immunogenicity, safety of combo-COVID-19 and flu vaccine
Novavax, Inc. began enrollment last week of the first participants for a Phase 1/2 clinical trial to assess the safety and immunogenicity of a combination vaccine formed from the company’s seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. Each vaccine has already been tested in solo clinical trials up... Read More »
Public Health AmeriCorps launched by AmeriCorps and CDC to invest in public health experts
With the COVID-19 pandemic as a constant reminder of the importance of public health efforts, AmeriCorps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week announced a joint recruitment and training effort for public health experts known as Public Health AmeriCorps. That program... Read More »
KBR touts successful air defense system demonstration
Global technology firm KBR is espousing the benefits of its recent successful demonstration of its Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (DE M-SHORAD) Combat Shoot-Off (CSO) system. Army soldiers executed a series of vignettes demonstrating laser-equipped Stryker capabilities against... Read More »Moderna signs multi-year COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing agreement with National Resilience
Under the terms of a new, multi-year agreement reached this week between Moderna and National Resilience, National Resilience will produce mRNA for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines at its Mississauga, Ontario facility. “Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine has saved countless lives, and we’re excited... Read More »
COVAX predicts 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine in first quarter 2022, calls for further support
In its latest Supply Forecast, the multilateral vaccine equity program COVAX announced expectations of 1.425 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines available this year, with 2 billion doses available for delivery in the first quarter of 2022 -- a milestone, but still a lagging figure. Resulting from... Read More »