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Emergent BioSolutions Announces Commencement of Phase I Clinical Trial for Monoclonal Antibody to Treat Inhalational Anthrax


Published on 2010-09-08 12:01:34 - Market Wire
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ROCKVILLE, Md.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS) announced today that the Phase I clinical trial for its anthrax monoclonal antibody therapeutic has commenced with the dosing of the first subject. Emergenta™s fully human monoclonal antibody product candidate is being developed as a parenteral post-exposure therapeutic to treat symptoms of inhalational anthrax disease. The Phase I clinical trial, involving 50 healthy volunteers, is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose escalation study designed to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of the monoclonal antibody candidate.

"Emergent is excited about the continued progress of its anthrax monoclonal antibody therapeutic"

aEmergent is excited about the continued progress of its anthrax monoclonal antibody therapeutic,a said Stephen Lockhart, MRCP, senior vice president product development of Emergent BioSolutions. aThis milestone reaffirms Emergenta™s commitment to leading the development of medical countermeasures that address inhalational anthrax as a biological threat.a

Emergent received clearance of its Investigational New Drug application from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to proceed with this Phase I clinical trial in May of this year.

This study is being funded by the Biomedical Advance Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under contract No. HHSN272200800040C.

About Emergent BioSolutions Inc.

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacture and commercialization of vaccines and antibody therapies that assist the bodya™s immune system to prevent or treat disease. Emergenta™s marketed product, BioThrax® (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed), is the only vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of anthrax infection. Emergenta™s product pipeline targets infectious diseases and includes programs focused on anthrax, tuberculosis, typhoid, flu and chlamydia. Additional information may be found 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, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, including any potential future securities offering, our expected revenue growth and net earnings for 2010, and any other statements containing the words abelievesa, aexpectsa, aanticipatesa, aplansa, aestimatesa and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the companya™s actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including the success of our ongoing and planned preclinical studies and clinical trials; the rate and degree of market acceptance and clinical utility of our products; the success of our ongoing and planned development programs; the timing of and our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for our other product candidates; our commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy; our estimates regarding expenses, future revenue, capital requirements and needs for additional financing; and other factors identified in the companya™s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2010 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.

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