Threats
DHS Report: Environment unlikely to affect transmissibility of SARS-COV-2 variants
New research from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has found that the deactivating effects of heat and sunlight are consistent across different variants of the SARS-COV-2 virus – the virus that causes COVID-19. In a report published in the... Read More »
CDC funds target COVID-19 vaccine program expansion
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has earmarked $3 billion to 64 jurisdictions to bolster broad-based COVID-19 vaccine distribution, access, and administration efforts. The funding allotment would support local efforts to increase vaccine uptake by expanding COVID-19 vaccine... Read More »
Lawmakers urge refrain from Iran approach
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to President Joe Biden to encourage a reset if the approach towards Iran versus relinquishing sanctions leveraged over the regime. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Todd Young (R-IN) sent the letter to... Read More »
Interim Phase 3 trial data shows lingering COVID-19 antibodies up to six months after Moderna vaccination
Moderna, Inc. is trumpeting the interim results of a phase three trial of its COVID-19 vaccine, which have shown antibodies persisting for six months post-vaccination. These results, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, come with some caveats, though. While the results were founded... Read More »
WHO labels AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine blood clot issues rare, but worth continued study
An assessment by the COVID-19 subcommittee of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) has concluded that blood clots affiliated with the AstraZeneca vaccine are concerning but rare and require further study to determine a causal relationship. All... Read More »
Bavarian Nordic gets $28M supply order from Janssen for Ebola vaccine substance
Bavarian Nordic received a new supply order from Janssen Pharmaceutica NV to manufacture and deliver bulk drug substance of MVA-BN Filo vaccine to treat Ebola. The MVA-BN Filo vaccine will be licensed to Janssen as part of its Ebola vaccine regimen, Zabdeno and Mvabea, which the European... Read More »
Valneva offers positive COVID-19 vaccine candidate data
The specialty vaccine company Valneva SE has issued positive data for Part A of the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its inactivated, adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccine candidate VLA2001. Officials noted subject to regulatory approval, the company plans to initiate a Phase 3 clinical trial by the end of... Read More »
Man sentenced for attempted chemical weapon purchase
Department of Justice officials said a man has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison without parole for attempting to purchase a chemical weapon on the dark web. Jason William Siesser, 46, of Columbia, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to acquire a chemical weapon and one... Read More »
Moderna, Catalent to collaborate on high-speed vial filling line for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine
Moderna, Inc. is joining forces with Catalent, Inc. to create a high-speed vial filling line in Indiana that will aid the manufacture of its COVID-19 vaccine and, potentially, other items in Moderna’s clinical portfolio. While Catalent -- a provider of advanced delivery technologies,... Read More »
FDA authorizes first at home blood spot COVID-19 antibody test for emergency use
The Symbiotica COVID-19 Self-Collected Antibody Test System gained emergency use authorization from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week, making it the first antibody test authorized for use with self-collected dried blood spot samples. The test allows those prescribed... Read More »
DHS funds target biological threats monitoring
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has earmarked funds to develop capabilities to monitor the current COVID-19 pandemic and other future biological events. The agency has awarded $199,648 to Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based Mesur.io Inc. for... Read More »
DIA outlines latest MARS initiative breakthrough
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) officials recently outlined the latest breakthrough regarding its Machine-assisted Analytic Rapid-repository System (MARS) initiative, touting efforts to provide strategic advantages. The MARS initiative would aid military planners, senior leaders, and... Read More »
Walter Reed-created COVID-19 vaccine begins Phase 1 clinical testing
A new COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) began a phase one clinical trial this week, following positive preclinical showings against SARS-CoV-2, its variants, and SARS-CoV-1, as well. "Even before recent COVID-19 variants were identified, our team... Read More »
Senators introduce legislation to combat illegal firearms trafficking
U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced a bill Monday aimed at combating straw purchasing and illegal trafficking in firearms to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals. The Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act would make it a... Read More »
Emergent BioSolutions on track to meet all COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing commitments
Emergent BioSolutions Inc. reported this week that it is on schedule to meet all manufacturing commitments related to COVID-19 vaccines, and that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has increased its original task order by $23 million. The funding injection from... Read More »
Reps. Cuellar, Katko introduce bill to manage migrant surges
U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and John Katko (R-NY) introduced legislation Friday to address migrant surges at the border that would hold agencies accountable and prevent children from being held longer than they should. The legislation, the Border Surge Response and Resilience Act, would... Read More »
Northern border smuggling, trafficking task force formed
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) personnel have formed a task to address the illegal movement of firearms, ammunition, and explosives across the border. The initiative serves as another step forward to disrupting and dismantling the violations,... Read More »
BARDA, Janssen expand Phase 2a trial of COVID-19 vaccine to include adolescents
An ongoing Phase 2a trial of a Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies-developed COVID-19 vaccine candidate has been expanded to include adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17. While there are still no approved COVID-19 vaccines for children, cases of COVID-19 in children have generally been less... Read More »
HHS launches vaccine public education campaign
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a new public education campaign to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and increase confidence in the vaccines. The department will create a nationwide network of trusted voices – local voices people know and... Read More »
HHS initiates COVID-19 mask design contest
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has initiated a COVID-19 mask design competition, with officials touting a total award of $500,000 available to winning entries. “We know that properly and consistently worn face masks help reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory... Read More »
Bill targets potential border surges
Reps. John Katko (R-NY) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX) introduced last week a measure designed to address potential southwest border surges. The Border Surge Response and Resilience Act would require the Department of Homeland Security DHS and federal partners to establish a plan addressing border... Read More »
Legislation to provide greater oversight of federal prisons’ COVID-19 efforts reintroduced to Congress
U.S. Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA) and U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) recently reintroduced the Federal Correctional Facilities COVID-19 Response Act to revise the prison system’s COVID-19 response. “The COVID-19 outbreaks at federal prisons across the... Read More »
NIH begins Phase 1 clinical trial to test Moderna COVID-19 variant vaccine
Although it already has a successful COVID-19 vaccine in circulation, Moderna is developing a vaccine designed to address the troubling South African variant of the disease (B.1.351), and as of last week, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) began a phase one trial to evaluate it. Known as... Read More »
HSI, partners warn consumers of COVID-19 post-vaccine survey scam
Homeland Security Investigations, a division of the Department of Justice, is warning U.S. citizens about a scam targeting vulnerable consumers with promises of gifts and cash in exchange for participating in fraudulent post-vaccination surveys. The fraudulent surveys are used to illegally... Read More »
TSA Surge Capacity Force helps FEMA administer vaccines
Members of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workforce are helping the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) pandemic response by volunteering to help at community vaccination centers. The volunteers are part of TSA’s Surge Capacity Force (SCF), a program for federal... Read More »
Tabletop exercise targets NASCAR race safety measures
Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) personnel recently joined NASCAR and law enforcement officials in a tabletop exercise focusing on GEICO 500 hypothetical public safety incidents. CISA Executive Assistant Director for Infrastructure Security... Read More »
Bell Textron, Army continue V-280 Valor progression
Bell Textron and Army officials said terms have been reached regarding the execution of the Competitive Demonstration and Risk Reduction (CD&RR) contract's second phase involving the V-280 Valor design. “This is the next step to a program of record, and Bell is proud to closely collaborate... Read More »
NIRVANA diagnostic capable of diagnosing, sequencing COVID-19, variants and other viruses
Clinicians have created a portable test -- dubbed NIRVANA -- capable of detecting and sequencing COVID-19, its variants, and other viruses in mere moments, according to data published in the journal Med. Primarily, the test cuts out the need for extra diagnostics and middlemen. "This is a... Read More »
CEPI offers up to $200M for SARS-CoV-2, betacoronavirus vaccine development
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness (CEPI) announced this week that it will invest up to $200 million into promising vaccine candidates for SARS-CoV-2 and Betacoronavirus, following a call for proposals. This funding will carry candidates through to clinical proof of concept and forms one... Read More »
GSK to aid Novavax COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing
Global healthcare company GSK has reached a principle agreement with Novavax and the UK Government Vaccines Taskforce to support the manufacturing of up to 60 million doses of Novavax’ COVID-19 vaccine. Under the agreement, GSK will provide manufacturing capacity at its Barnard Castle facility... Read More »
BARDA researching treatment for sulfur mustard corneal injury
Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) officials said the agency has provided funding for studies evaluating the therapeutic potential of aCT1 eye drops in models of sulfur mustard corneal injury. BARDA officials said the effort is via its Division of Research, Innovation... Read More »
CDC awards UCLA $4.9M grant to study COVID-19 vaccine efficacy on health workers
Over the next year, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) will lead a study of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness on health workers, thanks to a $4.9 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Participants in what is being called the PREVENT (Preventing... Read More »
Biodefense Commission warns U.S. still vulnerable to further biological threats
Even as the United States reels from a year under the thumb of COVID-19, a new analysis from the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, released this week, warns that without action, the nation remains dangerously vulnerable to another pandemic or biological threat. The report, Biodefense in... Read More »
Legislators introduces bill addressing doctor shortages during pandemic
U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell (D-AK), John Katko (R-NY), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), and Rodney Davis (R-IL) introduced legislation Monday designed to mitigate the nationwide physician shortages by boosting the number of Medicare-supported residency positions. The Resident Physician Shortage Act of 2021 would... Read More »