Emergent BioSolutions
Encyclopedia
Emergent BioSolutions is a multinational biopharmaceutical
company headquartered in Rockville, Maryland
. Emergent develops vaccine
s and therapeutics
targeting infectious diseases, oncology and autoimmune disorders. Founded as BioPort Corporation in 1998, the company was named Emergent BioSolutions in 2004. Since the early 2000s, Emergent has expanded its product development, including research and development of products through joint ventures with its most well-known product being an anthrax vaccine.
manufacturing facility in Lansing, Michigan
, and other assets of the Michigan Biologics Products Institute, formerly owned by the Michigan Department of Public Health
. In addition to the Lansing facility, BioPort acquired the license to produce anthrax vaccine
for the U.S. Department of Defense. After corporate restructuring in 2004, BioPort and its subsidiary Antex Biologics became wholly owned subsidiaries of Emergent BioSolutions Inc. In November 2006, Emergent held its initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange
.
, the chairman and CEO of Emergent BioSolutions, has led the company since its founding as BioPort Inc. The company's headquarters is in Rockville, Maryland
.
. Following a study by scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
, on December 19, 2008, Emergent received final FDA licensing for use of BioThrax five doses for intramuscular injection
. On February 11, 2009, the company announced that it had been granted a license to distribute BioThrax in India. Later in 2009, Emergent received approval from the FDA to extend the shelf life of its anthrax vaccine from three to four years. In 2011, BioThrax was approved for sale in Singapore by the Singapore Health Sciences Authority.
and pharmaceutical companies
, including Antex Biologics Inc., a pharmaceutical research and development company, in 2003, and Microscience Ltd. (based in the United Kingdom) in 2005. In August 2006, Emergent purchased Vivacs GmbH, a biotechnology company based in Munich, Germany. On March 6, 2008, Emergent completed the acquisition of a group of anthrax monoclonal antibodies from Avanir Pharmaceuticals. On May 5, 2008, Emergent acquired patents and processes of VaxGen
, Inc., of Livermore, California, including VaxGen's anthrax vaccine program. Emergent acquired Trubion Pharmaceuticals in October 2010, providing Emergent with oncology and autoimmune disease treatment candidates. In 2011, it acquired the rights to zanolimumab, an investigational, late-stage monoclonal antibody cancer therapy from TenX BioPharma, Inc.
Biopharmaceutical
Biopharmaceuticals are medical drugs produced using biotechnology. They include proteins , nucleic acids and living microorganisms like virus and bacteria where the virulence of viruses and bacteria is reduced by the process of attenuation, they can be used for therapeutic or in vivo diagnostic...
company headquartered in Rockville, Maryland
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
. Emergent develops vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
s and therapeutics
Therapy
This is a list of types of therapy .* Adventure therapy* Animal-assisted therapy* Aquatic therapy* Aromatherapy* Art and dementia* Art therapy* Authentic Movement* Behavioral therapy* Bibliotherapy* Buteyko Method* Chemotherapy...
targeting infectious diseases, oncology and autoimmune disorders. Founded as BioPort Corporation in 1998, the company was named Emergent BioSolutions in 2004. Since the early 2000s, Emergent has expanded its product development, including research and development of products through joint ventures with its most well-known product being an anthrax vaccine.
History
In 1998, the BioPort Corporation was founded to acquire an anthrax vaccineAnthrax vaccine
Anthrax vaccines are vaccines against the infectious disease anthrax. Anthrax is caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis, that most commonly occurs in wild and domestic mammals. Anthrax also occurs in humans when they are exposed to infected animals, hides, or tissue from infected...
manufacturing facility in Lansing, Michigan
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
, and other assets of the Michigan Biologics Products Institute, formerly owned by the Michigan Department of Public Health
Michigan Department of Community Health
-External links:*...
. In addition to the Lansing facility, BioPort acquired the license to produce anthrax vaccine
Anthrax vaccine
Anthrax vaccines are vaccines against the infectious disease anthrax. Anthrax is caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis, that most commonly occurs in wild and domestic mammals. Anthrax also occurs in humans when they are exposed to infected animals, hides, or tissue from infected...
for the U.S. Department of Defense. After corporate restructuring in 2004, BioPort and its subsidiary Antex Biologics became wholly owned subsidiaries of Emergent BioSolutions Inc. In November 2006, Emergent held its initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
.
Overview
Emergent BioSolutions focuses on the development and manufacture of vaccines and therapeutics for the prevention or treatment of disease. Fuad El-HibriFuad El-Hibri
Fuad El-Hibri is an American businessman, and CEO of Emergent BioSolutions.-Early life:Fuad El-Hibri in Hildesheim, Germany spent his childhood equally in Europe and the Middle East before coming to the USA to get an economics degree from Stanford and an MBA from Yale-Education:El-Hibri earned a...
, the chairman and CEO of Emergent BioSolutions, has led the company since its founding as BioPort Inc. The company's headquarters is in Rockville, Maryland
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
.
Product development
In 2006 and 2007, Emergent had carried out development of medications and vaccines for the treatment of typhoid, hepatitis B and streptococcus, for which development is no longer being pursued. , Emergent's product development pipeline includes product candidates targeting infectious diseases, oncology and autoimmune disorders.BioThrax (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed)
BioThrax (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed) is a vaccine licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationFood and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
. Following a study by scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
, on December 19, 2008, Emergent received final FDA licensing for use of BioThrax five doses for intramuscular injection
Intramuscular injection
Intramuscular injection is the injection of a substance directly into a muscle. In medicine, it is one of several alternative methods for the administration of medications . It is used for particular forms of medication that are administered in small amounts...
. On February 11, 2009, the company announced that it had been granted a license to distribute BioThrax in India. Later in 2009, Emergent received approval from the FDA to extend the shelf life of its anthrax vaccine from three to four years. In 2011, BioThrax was approved for sale in Singapore by the Singapore Health Sciences Authority.
Acquisitions
Emergent has added to its product pipeline through the acquisition of other biotechnologyBiotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
and pharmaceutical companies
Pharmaceutical company
The pharmaceutical industry develops, produces, and markets drugs licensed for use as medications. Pharmaceutical companies are allowed to deal in generic and/or brand medications and medical devices...
, including Antex Biologics Inc., a pharmaceutical research and development company, in 2003, and Microscience Ltd. (based in the United Kingdom) in 2005. In August 2006, Emergent purchased Vivacs GmbH, a biotechnology company based in Munich, Germany. On March 6, 2008, Emergent completed the acquisition of a group of anthrax monoclonal antibodies from Avanir Pharmaceuticals. On May 5, 2008, Emergent acquired patents and processes of VaxGen
VaxGen
VaxGen is a biopharmaceutical company based in the San Francisco Bay Area.As of July 28, 2010, VaxGen Inc. was acquired by diaDexus, Inc., in a reverse merger transaction. VaxGen, Inc. does not have significant operations. The company seeks to enter into a strategic transaction or series of...
, Inc., of Livermore, California, including VaxGen's anthrax vaccine program. Emergent acquired Trubion Pharmaceuticals in October 2010, providing Emergent with oncology and autoimmune disease treatment candidates. In 2011, it acquired the rights to zanolimumab, an investigational, late-stage monoclonal antibody cancer therapy from TenX BioPharma, Inc.