Acambis bids for US MVA smallpox vaccine order
Acambis plans to bid for the contract to supply the US government with MVA smallpox vaccines, being stockpiled to protect citizens against possible bioterrorist attack.
Acambis plans to bid for the contract to supply the US government with MVA smallpox vaccines, being stockpiled to protect citizens against possible bioterrorist attack.
The US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has issued a Request for Proposals for MVA attenuated smallpox vaccine - a weakened form of smallpox vaccine for use in people unable to take the traditional smallpox vaccine, i.e. patients with disorders of the immune system or skin conditions such as eczema. Acambis' vaccine MVA3000 is being developed for this type of application.
The DHHS wants 20m doses of MVA within 24 months of the contract being awarded, with options to purchase a further 60m doses later. The US government has indicated that contracts will be awarded in February 2006.
Acambis is co-developing MVA3000 with Baxter Healthcare and announced in July that it had commenced a Phase II safety and immunogenicity trial of MVA3000.