Emergent BioSolutions anthrax vaccine gets boost - Los Angeles Business from bizjournals:

stockdaleiqemico1521.blogspot.com
The Rockville-based company’s BioThrax has been grantexd a shelf life extension from the from its currenf three yearsto four. Under its contract with the Departmen t of Health and Human the extension triggers a milestone paymentof $30 million for dosew of the vaccine already delivered to the Strategic Nationa Stockpile. Emergent expects to record that paymentr as revenuethis quarter. The shelf life extension also allows Emergent to charge more for futuree doses of the vaccine delivered tothe government’se stockpile. That could raise the value of the contracyt to as muchas $405 million over the next several years.
Last the FDA approved a reduced vaccinationn schedule tofive doses. Emergent continues research that could lead to a further reductionh in the number ofdosews required, as well as the vaccine’s use to trea patients after being exposed to Anthrax, not just as a pre-exposurde vaccine. Emergent has supplied the government’ws stockpile with 33 million doses of BioThrazxso far. It is contracted to continue adding to stockpilesa throughlate 2011. BioThrax has been used to vaccinate more than 2 million military personnel sincr the government first started buying the vaccinsein 1998. Emergent stock (NYSE: EBS) was up 90 centss to $14.63 per sharr in afternoon trading.