U.S. Awards $27M for Bioterror Countermeasures

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced yesterday that it has awarded $27 million in contracts and grants to research institutions for development of countermeasures to deadly biological agents such as anthrax, smallpox and botulism (see GSN, May 6).

The 10 grants and two contracts were the first awarded by the institute using Project Bioshield authority.  Bioshield aims to accelerate the development and purchase of new medical countermeasures against WMD agents.

“Project Bioshield enables us to expedite research and development of critical medical countermeasures based on promising recent scientific discoveries,” NIAID chief Anthony Fauci said in a press release.  “These product development awards, focused on the most serious potential agents of bioterror, will help to rapidly translate laboratory findings into new therapies.”

The grants and contracts are to focus on agents deemed most dangerous by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (National Institute of Allergy and Infection Diseases release, May 9).

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