Bavarian Nordic Responds to HHS Review of Strategy for Medical Countermeasures
19 August 2010
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KVISTGÅRD, Denmark - August 19, 2010 -
Bavarian Nordic A/S (NASDAQ OMX: BAVA) - a leading industrial
biotechnology company and long-term collaborator with the U.S.
Government on the development of vaccines for the protection
against biological threats, today commented on the Obama
Administration's revised strategy for development, procurement and
stockpiling of medical countermeasures.
Anders Hedegaard, CEO & President of Bavarian Nordic, said:
"It was with great anticipation that I reviewed the Obama
Administration's new plan for medical countermeasures against
biological threats. Today's announcement that HHS will invest
nearly $2 billion to streamline the regulatory process, augment
manufacturing capacity and speed the development of novel
technologies is a sign that the Obama Administration takes
seriously this national securitypriority. "
Just last month Bavarian Nordic delivered the first 1 million
doses of IMVAMUNE®, a next generation smallpox vaccine, to the
U.S. government.
"This milestone was accomplished through a seven year
partnership between our company and the Department of Health and
Human Services," Hedegaard said. "The successful implementation of
the initiatives announced today will help companies navigate many
of the challenges that Bavarian Nordic confronted in the
development of IMVAMUNE®. We expect that new and dedicated
funding to support the FDA's regulation of medical countermeasures
will simplify our efforts to overcome the regulatory challenges
unique to medical countermeasures development. The report
identifies the need for the U.S. government to do a better job at
clearly articulating which products are needed, in what quantities.
The development of an integrated 5-year budget for medical
countermeasures development, procurement and stockpiling, and a
clear articulation of the U.S. government's requirements, will
allow us to better target our investments in product
development."
Bavarian Nordic: An Established Biodefense
Leader
Founded in 1994, Bavarian Nordic is a leading industrial
biotechnology company working to target unmet medical needs by
developing and producing vaccines for the prevention and treatment
of life-threatening diseases. With more than a decade of experience
manufacturing smallpox vaccines and working with the U.S.
Government, Bavarian Nordic has grown from a biotechnology company
to a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company with proven
manufacturing and regulatory expertise.
Contact:
Anders Hedegaard, President & CEO.
Phone: +45 23 20 30 64