Emergent gets $404M vaccine contract

It seems that hardly a week goes by in which Emergent Biosolutions doesn't get a vaccine contract. This week it's a $404 million contract with the U.S. government to provide 14.5 million doses of BioThrax anthrax vaccine. The new contract is an extension of company's current $448 million contract to supply 18.75 million doses of the vaccine. First deliveries of BioThrax under this new contract are scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2009, when the old contract expires.

"We are encouraged that we were able to secure this new procurement for an additional 14.5 million doses with HHS, because it represents a seamless transition from our current contract for the shipment of 18.75 million doses of BioThrax into the SNS," said Fuad El-Hibri, chairman and CEO of Emergent.

- here's Emergent's release