Threats
DHS S&T awards funds for aviation self-screening prototype
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Screening at Speed Program announced Tuesday it had awarded more than $2.5 million to Vanderlande Industries to develop a passenger self-screening concept design and prototype to streamline TSA PreCheck... Read More »
DHS initiates bug bounty program
The U.S Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the recent launch of its Hack DHS bug bounty program represents an effort to identify potential agency cybersecurity vulnerabilities while increasing cybersecurity resilience. “As the federal government’s cybersecurity quarterback, DHS... Read More »
Senate’s Medical Device Integrity Act would require medical device manufacturers comply with FDA record requests
With as many as 40 percent of medical device manufacturing facilities refusing to submit records when asked by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-IL) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) have proposed a bill that would encourage compliance. The requests were made between... Read More »
Johns Hopkins report cites failure to integrate primary care providers into COVID-19 response as missed opportunity
A new report released by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security this week determined that the failure to incorporate primary care providers into the frontline response to COVID-19 and the larger public health system could have improved care, testing, and vaccination acceptance. In... Read More »
Pfizer study confirms 89 percent reduction in hospitalizations and death for COVID-19 oral antiviral
Results came in this week from a Phase 2/3 trial of Pfizer Inc.’s COVID-19 oral antiviral treatment, and the data showed a drug capable of cutting risks of hospitalization or death by 89 percent among high-risk adults, when given within a few days of their first symptoms. The final data from... Read More »
CEPI to invest up to $4.5 million for Affinivax COVID-19 variant vaccine
Seeking broader protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants and other betacoronaviruses, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) announced this week that it would invest up to $4.5 million into development of a vaccine candidate based on Affinivax, Inc.’s Multiple Antigen Presenting... Read More »
Senators applaud inclusion of unidentified aerial phenomena in national defense bill
U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), along with U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), applauded the inclusion of their Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) amendment in the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. The congressmembers said because UAPs appear in sensitive... Read More »Lawmakers host cybersecurity roundtable session
Republicans members of the House American Security Task Force recently hosted a cybersecurity roundtable session with industry leaders. Reps. John Katko (R-NY) and Tony Gonzales (R-TX) spearheaded the effort, which focused on the present state of the nation's cybersecurity and what Congress can... Read More »
Moderna: 20 million additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine for COVAX
On Friday, Moderna, maker of one of the FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines, announced it will amend its contract with Gavi, the vaccine alliance, to accelerate the supply of 20 million doses of the vaccine to COVAX by the end of the year. The total number of vaccines supplied to COVAX in 2021 now... Read More »
Global experts endorse legislation creating COVID-19 commission
More than 100 COVID-19 experts called on Congressional leaders Thursday to pass bipartisan legislation to create a COVID-19 Commission. The legislation, introduced by U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Richard Blumenthal... Read More »
Document highlights TSA air cargo security goals
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently published a document identifying and addressing emerging threats and ensuring the efficient flow of commerce. The document, the Air Cargo Security Roadmap, is the result of collaboration within the air cargo industry with stakeholders. It... Read More »
Senate Homeland Security Committee holds hearing on PFAS contamination
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing recently to examine the harmful impacts of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) at military sites. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) convened the hearing after a Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector... Read More »
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 »
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 »