U.S. Signs $11 Million Deal To Fund Monkeypox Vaccines

(Bloomberg) -- The Biden administration signed an $11 million deal to support a Michigan company that's helping make vaccine against monkeypox, another move to bolster prevention of the quickly spreading virus. 

The Health and Human Services Department's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority is providing the funding to help Grand River Aseptic Manufacturing Inc. acquire equipment and personnel to finish manufacturing 2.5 million monkeypox vaccine vials, according to details of the agreement viewed by Bloomberg. Grand River agreed in August with Bavarian Nordic A/S, the shot's maker, to fill and finish the vials.

“BARDA's support helps ensure success in doubling the capacity available to fill and finish this vaccine, improves preparedness for smallpox bioterrorism, and strengthens the security of the US supply chain,” Dawn O'Connell, who heads HHS's Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, said in a statement. Domestic production will speed up availability of the vaccine, a top priority for the administration, she said. 

Monkeypox has quickly spread around the world to infect more than 47,000 people, and about 1.7 million Americans are at high risk of catching it, health officials estimate. The outbreak has been concentrated among men who have sex with men and spreads through close, intimate contact. Meanwhile, demand for Bavarian Nordic's Jynneos vaccine has forced the Danish company to consider outsourcing production to international partners.

Filling and finishing vials is one of the final stages in preparing vaccines for use, and can sometimes represent a bottleneck in processing. After the Biden administration told Bavarian Nordic it would need to work with a US-based manufacturer to help complete an order of more than 2 million vaccines, the company said on Aug. 18 it had selected Grand River for the job. 

“We continue to build on our efforts to secure and make safe and effective vaccines readily available,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in the statement. “This new agreement solidifies a domestic manufacturing capability that will bring us more vaccine sooner to end this outbreak.”

Technology transfer is already underway at Grand River and federal officials expect production to begin within three months, expediting a process that usually takes up to nine months. The Biden administration has worked directly with suppliers to rapidly acquire equipment and materials for production, such as vials, disposable bags and tubing that have also been needed to make vital Covid vaccines, said BARDA Director Gary Disbrow. 

“We are happy to play our part and are proud to be in a position to support Bavarian Nordic and the US government with the monkeypox outbreak response,” Tom Ross, Grand River's chief executive officer, said in an email. “GRAM is putting forth all efforts possible to accelerate the manufacturing of the vaccine.”

Focus will initially be on finishing the 2.5 million vials ordered in July, but it's possible additional manufacturing could happen if needed. Any extra vaccines would be stockpiled for future health emergencies or given to countries with low supply.  

O'Connell's agency has been working to bolster domestic manufacturing capacity needed to swiftly respond to health emergencies in the US. It has funneled nearly $6.9 billion into securing the raw materials needed to produce therapeutics, diagnostic tests and vaccines, according to the statement.

Grand River has also helped fill and finish Covid vaccines through Operation Warp Speed. In April, the company signed a multiyear contract with HHS to fund an expansion of its fill-and-finish facilities. 

Monkeypox cases have begun slowing in some major US cities such as New York and San Francisco, and health officials said Friday they're cautiously optimistic about what that means for the outbreak.

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