Threats
Congressional hearing addresses cybersecurity breaches
The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee recently convened a hearing with senior federal cybersecurity personnel to examine present and future cybersecurity breaches. The hearing was convened by Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs... Read More »
Rep. Katko urges investment into CISA Pipeline Cybersecurity Initiative amid ransomware attack
Following the recent ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline Company, U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) is urging the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) for great investment into the Pipeline Security Initiative public-private partnership. The Pipeline Cybersecurity Initiative... Read More »
House E&C committee leaders urge HHS Secretary to restore FDA authority over COVID-19 lab-developed tests
Leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and subcommittees wrote to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra this week urging a reversal of a Trump administration policy that stripped Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority over COVID-19 lab-developed tests (LDTs).... Read More »
Emergent execs to testify before House coronavirus subcommittee
Emergent BioSolutions Inc., a multinational biopharmaceutical company, on Wednesday said it is on track to meet federal COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing standards and executives will testify during a congressional hearing next week on the company’s progress since a batch of the coronavirus vaccine... Read More »
Northrop Grumman secures CIRCM system production contract
The U.S. Army awarded this week Northrop Grumman Corporation a five-year, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract valued at $959.1 million for full-rate production of the Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM) system. “CIRCM’s cutting-edge capability has been proven against... Read More »
House Republicans seek end to cartel TikTok activity
Rep. John Katko (R-NY) led this week a group of House colleagues in encouraging the social media platform TikTok to address cartel activity amid an escalating crisis on the southwest border. “We are deeply troubled by media reports that cartels are brazenly recruiting people to conduct... Read More »
Phase 2 trial data shows INOVIO COVID-19 vaccine effective and well-tolerated in all age groups
Biotechnology company INOVIO revealed that the placebo-controlled and blinded phase two segment of a United States clinical vaccine trial has shown positive, safe, and well-tolerated results for INO-4800 when used against COVID-19. As a result of the test results, a 2 mg dose will be used for... Read More »
FDA expands emergency authorization of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include adolescents
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Monday that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is now authorized for emergency use among adolescents ages 12 through 15. While children have seemingly been less susceptible to COVID-19 at large, they can still be carriers, and plenty have... Read More »
Trust for America’s Health calls for robust public health system funding
America’s historically underfunded public health system played a major role in the nation’s laggard COVID-19 response, according to a new report released by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH). And while it’s too soon to calculate with precision, it is likely that the United States... Read More »
University of Texas Medica Branch scientists awarded $11.3M NIAID grant to study Ebola
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced Friday it has awarded researchers at the University of Texas Medica Branch (UTMB) at Galveston $11.3 million to study Ebola. The multiyear grant will fund research into the immunopathogenesis of Ebola, specifically why cells... Read More »
Bavarian Nordic to supply additional smallpox vaccines
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has exercised the final $12 million option to produce the remaining $202 million smallpox vaccine order. The order would be supplied by JYNNEOS, encompassing the Smallpox and Monkeypox vaccine. The option covers the supply of... Read More »
Measure seeks to bolster National Guard cybersecurity
U.S. Reps. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) introduced legislation last week to strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity by enabling governors to decide how the National Guard responds to cybersecurity threats. The National Guard Cybersecurity Support Act would enhance states' readiness and... Read More »
CEPI, Dynavax increase collaboration to include another $77M of adjuvant for COVID-19 vaccines
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and Dynavax Technologies Corporation expanded the terms of a manufacturing agreement last week to include an additional $77 million for adjuvant used in COVID-19 vaccines. The funding injection, provided in the form of a forgivable loan... Read More »
WHO approves China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use globally
The World Health Organization (WHO) added the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine produced by Beijing Bio-Institute of Biological Products Co Ltd. to the list of vaccines approved for emergency use worldwide last week, giving a potential new source and new boost for efforts by the COVAX... Read More »
GAO report: Nuclear triad nearing end-of-life dates, government replacement plans necessary
A new report by the General Accountability Office (GAO) found that most of the U.S. nuclear triad is nearing or past their planned end-of-life dates and that the Departments of Defense and Energy must plan their replacements carefully. The report found that most of the nuclear triad, three... Read More »
Reps. Curtis, Neguse lead effort supporting nationwide wildfire preparedness, mitigation
The Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus is encouraging Congress to fund Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill programming supporting nationwide enhanced wildfire preparedness, mitigation, and response. U.S. Reps. John Curtis (R-UT) and Joe Neguse (D-CO) are leading Caucus members in urging the... Read More »
Lawmakers urge continued 3D firearms regulatory controls
A group of lawmakers recently requested that the Biden administration keep regulatory controls in place over three-dimensional (3-D) printable firearms and prevent online sales. U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) and Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) spearheaded the correspondence effort, which stems from a... Read More »
Bloomberg Philanthropies grants awarded to 18 cities in low and middle-income countries for vaccine distribution efforts
Bloomberg Philanthropies will award up to $50,000 each to 18 cities in low and middle-income countries that are part of the Partnership for Healthy Cities and planning vaccine distribution rollouts with high-risk populations emphasized. Vaccine preparedness activities, including communication... Read More »
Newly established Global Task Force on Pandemic Response to provide immediate assistance to India
A new United States-based public-private partnership, the Global Task Force on Pandemic Response, announced last week that it will work with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-India Business Council and the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership to lend immediate aid to India’s COVID-19... Read More »
Congress members call on drug companies to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) joined other members of Congress to call on Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson to expand access to the COVID-19 vaccine globally. In a letter sent on May 5, Merkley, along with Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and... Read More »
SIGA proposing intravenous TPOXX formulation
The commercial-stage pharmaceutical company SIGA Technologies, Inc. has filed a New Drug Application (NDA) with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the intravenous formulation (IV) of TPOXX. The proposed NDA to treat human smallpox disease in adults and pediatric patients is the same as... Read More »
Sen. Portman, Rep. Katko express concerns regarding violence around federal facilities
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) and U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) recently raised concerns regarding a rise in the number of assaults on federal law enforcement officers and government facilities. The legislators forwarded correspondence this week to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary... Read More »
Novavax COVID-19 vaccine 55 percent effective against South African variant
In an initial primary analysis of the Phase 2b trial of COVID-19 vaccine NVX-CoV-2373, a New England Journal of Medicine-published report revealed that the vaccine provided approximately 55 percent efficacy to non-HIV patients when pitted against the South African variant, B.1.351. The Novavax,... Read More »
Boosters of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine well-tolerated, effective against SARS-CoV-2 and two variants
Moderna, Inc. reported initial data this week showing that in phase two testing, its mRNA COVID-19 vaccine proved effective and well-tolerated as a booster or a single 50 µg dose on the previously vaccinated, against both the original SARS-CoV-2 strain and two variants of concern. In all, three... Read More »
WHO Director-General praises U.S. call to temporarily waive intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines
Hoping to get vaccines out into the world soon, the Biden administration this week called for a temporary waiver on intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, earning commendations from WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and others. “This is a monumental moment in the... Read More »
CBP implements northern New York biometric facial comparison technology
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said the agency has implemented biometric facial comparison technology at pedestrian border crossings at all the Northern New York ports of entry. Authorities noted the expanded scope includes Alexandria Bay, Ogdensburg, Massena, Trout River, Fort... Read More »
Bipartisan legislators support F-35 Fighter program
The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Caucus announced this week strong bipartisan support for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. Lawmakers have initiated an appropriations and authorization request for the program in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, emphasizing the need to maintain course towards full-rate... Read More »
Defense Intelligence director highlights competition from China, Russia in Senate hearing
Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee for an annual Worldwide Threat Assessment hearing this week, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Director Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier called attention to the activities and competition offered by China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. At a national... Read More »
Biden announces federal goal of 70 percent vaccination rate for U.S. adult population by July 4
President Joe Biden announced Tuesday a new federal goal to get at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot in 70 percent of the U.S. adult population and 160 million adults fully vaccinated by July 4, 2021. Accessibility is the main focus in the next leg of the vaccination effort. To that end, the... Read More »
Three BARDA scientists recognized for Ebola contributions
Three Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) scientists have been selected as finalists for the Service to America Medals during Public Service Recognition Week this year, the group announced Monday. David Boucher, Ph.D.; Dan Wolfe, Ph.D.; and John Lee, Ph.D., who... Read More »
Raytheon secures airport security screening agreement
Raytheon Intelligence & Space has secured a five-year, $318 million Transportation Security Administration (TSA) contract to expand checked baggage screening equipment deployment at federally managed airports. Raytheon Intelligence & Space is a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies and previously... Read More »
Pfizer pledges more than $70M worth of medicines to India amid COVID-19 crisis
Responding to the spiraling COVID-19 situation in India, Pfizer Inc. announced this week that it will provide more than $70 million worth of medicines to the country immediately, with assistance from government and non-governmental organization partners. “We are donating enough medicines to... Read More »
Novavax begins testing COVID-19 vaccine on adolescents as part of Phase 3 trial
As part of a phase three trial of the Novavax, Inc. COVID-19 vaccine, NVX-CoV2373, up to 3,000 volunteers between 12 and 17 years old will be dosed at up to 75 sites across the United States to determine potential pediatric applications. While the number of vaccines for adults has been growing,... Read More »
Sens. Portman, Cortez Masto introduce bill to combat Chinese influence on technology standards
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced legislation to ensure the United States is positioned to lead international standards-setting Thursday. The bill would counter the Chinese government's influence and work to protect American jobs. Specifically, the... Read More »