AIG Program, Supported by NIAID, Expands Company's Anthrax
Biodefense Franchise
ROCKVILLE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2007--Emergent
BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS) announced today that it has submitted an
Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for the company's Anthrax Immune Globulin (AIG)
product candidate. AIG is a therapeutic treatment for patients who
present with symptoms of anthrax disease resulting from the release of
anthrax toxins into the body. Pending the standard 30-day FDA review
period, the company expects to initiate a pivotal clinical trial in
2007 in order to evaluate AIG safety and pharmacokinetics in 105
healthy volunteers.
"The filing of this IND for our AIG product candidate is a
significant step as we continue to expand our anthrax biodefense
product franchise, which includes BioThrax(R) (Anthrax Vaccine
Adsorbed), the only FDA-licensed vaccine against anthrax infection, as
well as development programs focused on improvements to BioThrax and
an enhanced anthrax vaccine," stated Fuad El-Hibri, chairman and chief
executive officer of Emergent BioSolutions. "Our AIG product, which we
are developing in part with grant funding from the NIAID, is an
important element of our efforts to develop safe and effective medical
countermeasures to help protect the nation against biological attack."
The company anticipates that the clinical trial for its AIG
candidate will be completed within approximately one year from its
commencement date and that no additional clinical trials will be
required prior to submitting an application to FDA for marketing
approval. The company, which is relying on the FDA animal rule in
developing its AIG candidate, expects to conduct pivotal efficacy
studies in two animal models, with the timing of those studies
dependent upon completion of the development of the models in
collaboration with the U.S. government. The company believes that
favorable data from these clinical and non-clinical studies would be
sufficient to support an application to the FDA for approval of its
AIG candidate.
During 2006, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases (NIAID) agreed to provide funding to the company of up to
$3.7 million to support pivotal animal studies and for the development
and validation of product assays.
About Emergent BioSolutions Inc.
Emergent BioSolutions Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused
on the development, manufacture and commercialization of
immunobiotics, consisting of vaccines and therapeutics that induce or
assist the body's immune system to prevent or treat disease. The
company's biodefense business is focused on immunobiotics for use
against biological agents that are potential weapons of bioterrorism.
The company's commercial business is focused on development,
manufacture and commercialization of immunobiotics for use against
infectious diseases. These immunobiotics are designed to address
significant unmet or underserved public health needs. More information
on the company is available at www.emergentbiosolutions.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any
statements, other than statements of historical fact, our strategy,
future operations, future financial position, future revenues,
projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management and any
other statements containing the words "believes", "expects",
"anticipates", "plans", "estimates" and similar expressions are
forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors
that could cause the company's actual results to differ materially
from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including our
performance under existing BioThrax(R) sales contracts with the U.S.
government, including the timing of deliveries under these contracts;
our ability to obtain new BioThrax sales contracts with the U.S.
government; our plans for future sales of BioThrax; our plans to
pursue label expansions and improvements for BioThrax; our plans to
expand our manufacturing facilities and capabilities; the rate and
degree of market acceptance and clinical utility of our products; our
ongoing and planned development programs, preclinical studies and
clinical trials; our ability to identify and acquire or in license
products and product candidates that satisfy our selection criteria;
the potential benefits of our existing collaboration agreements and
our ability to enter into selective additional collaboration
arrangements; the timing of and our ability to obtain and maintain
regulatory approvals for our product candidates; our
commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and
strategy; our intellectual property portfolio; our estimates regarding
expenses, future revenue, capital requirements and needs for
additional financing; and other factors identified in the company's
Registration Statement on Form S-1 and subsequent reports filed with
the SEC. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update
any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring
after the date of this press release.
CONTACT: Emergent BioSolutions Inc.
Robert G. Burrows, 301-795-1877
burrowsr@ebsi.com
SOURCE: Emergent BioSolutions Inc.