The original five-year contract was signed in August 2002, and under that contract Cangene developed and delivered vaccinia immune globulin intravenous (VIG) product to the US strategic national stockpile (SNS).
Although a supply of product is already maintained within the SNS, the extended contract supports licensing requirements, ongoing stability studies, further clinical testing and development projects, and could provide for future orders.
“This contract extension demonstrates that there is longevity associated with these stockpiling contracts and that there is an interest in continuing to support development and expanding our understanding of the product beyond the initial stockpile requirement and FDA licensure,” said Dr John Langstaff, Cangene’s president and CEO.
VIG is a hyperimmune product to be used in treating and preventing certain types of severe complications that may be associated with smallpox vaccination, and is considered to be an important component of smallpox vaccination programs, according to Cangene. Hyperimmunes are highly purified, specialty antibodies made from plasma.
VIG, which is approved in the US and Canada, is part of a growing product pipeline that now includes four approved products.