BioCryst Gets First US Government Order For Peramivir

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals has received an initial order for 10,000 courses of intravenous (i.v.) peramivir (600 mg once-daily for five days) with a value of $22.5m under a newly issued contract with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). BioCryst shipped the entire order from existing i.v. peramivir inventory to HHS.

Under the indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract issued to BioCryst, HHS may place additional orders for peramivir up to a total of 40,000 courses of i.v. peramivir at the same unit price as the first order. BioCryst is also required to maintain the ability to manufacture additional treatment courses dependent on the volume and size of anti-viral orders received from HHS.

Jon Stonehouse, president and chief executive officer at BioCryst, said: “BioCryst is pleased to deliver this initial US Government order for peramivir for use under the Emergency Use Authorization( EUA) to treat hospitalized adult and pediatric influenza patients who may benefit from peramivir.

“We expect to complete production of approximately 120,000 additional courses of i.v. peramivir by the end of December, and we are prepared to produce more if required to meet orders for the US or other governments. BioCryst has been in contact with a number of governments around the world that are assessing i.v. peramivir for critically ill influenza patients.”