GigaGen wins $135 million BARDA contract for botulinum toxin treatment

Barcelona, Spain-based plasma-derived medicine specialist Grifols (MCE: GRF) says that its biotech subsidiary GigaGen has been awarded a contract by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The award, valued at up to $135.2 million, is to develop a recombinant polyclonal antibody therapy for botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT) and a second biothreat of interest to the agency that will be determined at a later time.

“We are thrilled to have been awarded this BARDA contract and are proud to continue our collaboration with the US government to advance innovative therapies against naturally emerging and intentional biological threats,” said Carter Keller, senior vice president of Grifols and head of GigaGen. “GigaGen aims to change the way infectious diseases are treated with the world’s only recombinant polyclonal antibody therapeutic platform. Building on our successful collaboration with the Department of Defense (DOD), this project demonstrates the versatility of our recombinant polyclonal antibody platform, which is ideally suited for rapid responses to imminent biological threats,” he added.