Bioterrorism Yields Big Business Opportunities

Now that the University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine dropped out of the "Alliance for Biosecurity," its leadership must have been desperate to find another way to get to the cash cow of bioterrorism industry. And find one it did - welcome to the "21st Century Biodefense" initiative. The Pittsburgh Business Journal offers some coverage about the partners.

Battelle, IBM and Merck & Co. Inc. are partnering with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in the development of a first of its kind vaccine factory, the hospital network announced.

The new partners join GE Healthcare in pursuing construction of the facility, which UPMC wants to operate in partnership with the federal government as a way to respond quickly to chemical, biological or radiological threats such as a bioterrorist attack.

The plant would be funded by the federal government and operate as a nonprofit UPMC subsidiary. Last year, UPMC President and CEO Jeffrey Romoff said he favored a site near the old Pittsburgh International Airport for the factory.

The cost of the plan had been estimated at $900 million, but recent estimates were lower. An exact figure was not available.
---------
Battelle, the world’s largest independent research and development organization, has agreed to provide pre-clinical research and development services, including infectious disease model development and product safety and efficacy evaluations, services that will support licensure of new vaccines and therapeutics. Battelle also will provide project management support and senior leadership.

“We are committed to solving the most critical problems in human health and stand ready to be a full partner in this impressive public-private initiative,” Battelle Vice President John Wade said in a prepared statement.

Since HHS Secretary Sebelius has signed up for "improved vaccine" production, the timing is right for such a business venture. Leveraging the Graham-Talent WMD commission's scare tactics, this new "non-profit" alliance sounds like it plans to be very profitable. In fact, it's a funny thing, how non-profits like Battelle can be so aggressively driven by profit-chasing. "Battelle is investing today in key initiatives that will deliver a safer, healthier, and more productive tomorrow." So was the Umbrella Corporation. And that's all I'll say about Battelle.

UPDATE: Also see George Smith's comments: "This announcement is just the latest news in the effort to more efficiently transfer taxpayer treasure to the biodefense research infrastructure."

Comments

[NVH]

So that's the contractor you work for...

[J.]

No, despite Battelle's best efforts to completely dominate the CB defense industry, they haven't quite succeeded yet. Still room out here for a few people who don't like Battelle's particular style of management.