News
FDA authorizes sotrovimab monoclonal antibody to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 cases
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added another tool to the fight against COVID-19 this week, granting emergency use authorization (EUA) to the monoclonal antibody therapy sotrovimab for use against mild to moderate COVID-19 cases in those 12 years and older. The EUA was granted to... Read More »
TSA preparing for increased passenger volume during summer travel season
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials said the agency is continuing to prepare for increased travel volumes in advance of the Memorial Day holiday weekend and summer months. “As we head into a summer where we hope to see a tremendous reemergence of domestic travel and the... Read More »
Curtiss-Wright Corporation secures naval defense contracts
Curtiss-Wright Corporation announced that it has secured a series of Navy contracts in excess of $130 million to aid naval defense platforms. The scope of work includes providing propulsion valves, pumps, and advanced instrumentation and control systems for the Navy’s Virginia-class... Read More »
NTI | bio virtually gathers global experts to address biotechnology risks, life sciences oversight
The nonprofit Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) | bio virtually convened an interdisciplinary group of experts and world leaders earlier this month to push for a global organization to reduce biotechnology risks, promote biosecurity and strengthen international oversight of life sciences... Read More »
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security earns Rockefeller Foundation grant for COVID-19 response research
Thanks to a $400,000 grant from The Rockefeller Foundation, the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security will document, evaluate and spread information on large-scale health successes among the COVID-19 response in low and middle-income nations over the past year. This information will be used... Read More »
A pandemic-free future requires public-private partnerships, government leadership
Academia and the private sector must be in a collaborative relationship with the United States government to invest in the research and development of technologies that will prevent a future pandemic, experts said on Wednesday during a webinar hosted by the Capitol Hill Steering Committee on... Read More »
Phase 2 study shows Emergent BioSolutions’ chikungunya vaccine candidate can protect for two years
A phase two clinical study of the Emergent BioSolutions, Inc. chikungunya virus vaccine candidate has been shown to spur antibodies, reflecting a persistent immune response for two years, after just a single dose. There is currently no vaccine to prevent or treat chikungunya virus infection,... Read More »
Biden administration increases FEMA funding in advance of hurricane season
In advance of what is predicted to be another busy hurricane season, the Biden administration has allocated $1 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for pre-disaster mitigation resources to prepare for extreme weather events and other disasters. Meeting with homeland... Read More »
CEPI, SK bioscience expand vaccine development partnership
Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) officials said the organization has expanded its partnership with SK bioscience to develop a vaccine to combat SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern. The agreement calls for CEPI to earmark up to $173.4 million for SK bioscience's to COVID-19... Read More »
Twenty union, stakeholder organizations offer PPE bill support
The AFL-CIO, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and the United States Footwear Manufacturers Association are among 20 union and stakeholder organizations supporting the Make PPE in America Act. The unions and stakeholder organizations recently forwarded correspondence to Majority... Read More »
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine shown effective in 12 to 17 years olds in Phase 2/3 study
Plans are underway to submit the Moderna, Inc. COVID-19 vaccine to regulators in early June to expand its use, following positive results from a Phase 2/3 study that distributed the vaccine among adolescents aged 12 to 17 years old. The vaccine, known as mRNA-1273, met its primary immunogenicity... Read More »
WHO teams up with Switzerland to launch BioHub for sharing, storing and analyzing pathogens globally
As part of a new Memorandum of Understanding between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Swiss Confederation, the first facility in the WHO BioHub System was agreed to this week. Such facilities, first announced in November 2020, will serve as centers for reception, sequencing, storage,... Read More »
U.S. Chamber call on government to act on cyberthreats
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is calling on the federal government to step up and take decisive action against the threat of cyberattacks. Calling cyberthreats an assault on the government and the economy, the Chamber urged Congress and the rest of the federal government to use all means... Read More »
DHS, South Korea collaboration targets aviation security
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) officials said the agency has partnered with South Korea to conduct a civil aviation security technology field demonstration. DHS personnel said the agreement with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of... Read More »
CBP, partners initiate Free and Secure Trade for Commercial Vehicles project
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel said the agency has partnered with a pair of entities to facilitate commercial truck processing at the World Trade Bridge in Laredo, Texas. The CBP said the General Services Administration (GSA) and the City of Laredo have agreed to the collaboration... Read More »
House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans seek classified DHS briefings on COVID-19 origins
In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas written last week, Republican House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders requested two classified briefings on the origins of COVID-19 and any work conducted therein. “[W]e strongly support a comprehensive investigation into the... Read More »
Samsung Biologics to assist with fill-finish manufacturing of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine
Under a new agreement announced last week, Samsung Biologics will bolster the global supply of mRNA-1273, Moderna, Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine, by providing large-scale, commercial fill-finish manufacturing. Technology transfer began upon execution of the deal so that Samsung Biologics could... Read More »
GAO: How Congress should ensure BioWatch replacement
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Friday issued risk mitigation steps that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) should consider during its acquisition of a new system to replace BioWatch, the federal government’s current biodetection system for detecting aerosolized... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Tester, Hoeven introduce anti-drug bill
U.S Sens. Jon Tester (D-MT) and John Hoeven (R-ND) introduced Thursday a bill to boost critical resources to help law enforcement officials in the war on drugs. The Assisting Narcotics and Trafficking Officers in Interdicting (ANTI) Drugs Act would increase resources for the High Intensity Drug... Read More »
TSA selects Los Angeles International Airport as drone detection test site
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has selected Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to join Miami International Airport as a drone detection test site. The technology would be used to aid in detecting, tracking, and identifying (DTI) drones, which are also known as... Read More »
Bill seeks to bolster wildfire protection
U.S. Reps. Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Kim Schrier (D-WA), and Mike Simpson (R-ID) recently introduced a measure they said is designed to protect communities from the catastrophic impact of wildfires. The National Prescribed Fire Act of 2021 would invest in hazardous fuels management by increasing the... Read More »
CEPI appoints former Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response as newest U.S. director
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) made a major change at the top last week, with the appointment of former Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Dr. Nicole Lurie as its United States director. Lurie has already been guiding CEPI’s emergency response... Read More »
Senators reintroduce Medical Supplies for Pandemics Act to improve supply manufacturing, rebuild Strategic National Stockpile
With the reintroduction of the Medical Supplies for Pandemics Act in the Senate last week, U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) sought to more tightly link the federal government and medical product distributors to strengthen domestic manufacturing and refill the Strategic... Read More »
Maine Congressional delegation urges Biden administration not to cut construction of Navy destroyers
U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) joined U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Jared Golden (D-ME) in urging President Joe Biden not to reduce the number of Navy Destroyers the Department of Defense will request. Typically, the DOD requests two DDG-51 Flight III destroyers.... Read More »
DHS, Coast Guard seeking floating device innovation
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) officials said the agency is partnering with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), seeking large capacity floating device solutions. To that end, the entities will conduct a virtual Industry Day on May 25, 2021, to discuss the... Read More »
Sens. Moran, Kaine advocate sharing excess COVID-19 vaccines
U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) recently introduced a legislative amendment in support of sharing excess COVID-19 vaccines with countries in need. The Endless Frontier Act amendment seeks to spur U.S. Department of State action in conjunction with the coordination Department... Read More »
CEPI launches survey to track vaccine manufacturing capacity, ability through multiple regions
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) launched a new survey this week to assess the vaccine manufacturing capacity and capabilities of Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, to better inform ahead of future epidemics. “While incredible efforts were... Read More »
Senate hearing examines damage caused by lack of, overreliance on foreign supply chains throughout COVID-19 pandemic
In the wake of a pandemic response that had been hobbled initially by a lack of domestic medical supplies and an overreliance on foreign supply chains, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Gary Peters (D-MI) held an oversight hearing with supply chain,... Read More »
Sen. Sasse calls on Senate to increase DARPA funding
U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) called on the Senate to double the funding for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) through his amendment to the Endless Frontiers Act. Sasse said increasing DARPA’s funding to $7 billion a year for the next five years would allow America to compete... Read More »
Reps. Katko, Thompson advocate NDAA use restorations in planning
Reps. John Katko (R-NY), ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, are encouraging the Biden administration to develop and maintain an economic restoration plan under the National Defense... Read More »
House committee advances cybersecurity measures
House Committee on Homeland Security members said the body has advanced seven bills designed to bolster cybersecurity. “As many Americans witnessed just last week, cyber-attacks have the potential to disrupt our daily lives and impact our economic and national security,” Rep. John Katko... Read More »
Bavarian Nordic, Johnson & Johnson to support WHO Ebola containment efforts with 200,000 vaccine doses
Bavarian Nordic A/S and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) announced this week that they will support World Health Organization (WHO) led efforts to contain the spread of Ebola in West Africa through the donation of up to 200,000 doses of J&J’s vaccine regimen. The partnership owes to the fact that... Read More »
CARB-X to invest up to $4.1M into Summit Therapeutics antibiotic for CRE-caused multidrug-resistant infections
Up to $4.1 million in non-dilutive funding from nonprofit CARB-X was announced this week for Summit Therapeutics to help develop a first-in-class antibiotic to treat multidrug-resistant infections, and specifically, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections. This funding will aid... Read More »
Emergent execs commit to continue cooperation in ongoing vaccine investigation
The top two executives of Emergent BioSolutions Inc. on Wednesday promised to provide additional documentation requested by congressional lawmakers who are investigating the Maryland-based biopharmaceutical company’s failure to manufacture usable coronavirus vaccines under a contract with the... Read More »