The U.S. Department of Defense has recently awarded a notable contract related to the field of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) defense or life science research of interest for potential applications in biodefense:
Novartis Institute for BioMedical Research Inc., Cambridge, Mass., has been awarded a maximum $13,165,658 technology investment agreement for the Autonomous Diagnostics to Enable Prevention and Therapeutics: Prophylactic Options to Environmental and Contagious Threats (ADEPT-PROTECT) program. ADEPT-PROTECT seeks a demonstration of protective immunity, conferred by administration of mRNA or self-amplifying mRNA-based vector, to encode a neutralizing antibody against a selected pathogen. Work will be performed in Cambridge, Mass. The estimated completion date is Sept. 29, 2016. Fiscal 2013 research and development funds are being obligated at time of award. The contracting activity is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., (HR0011-13-3-0003).
Source: DoD.gov
