Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio Added to National Readiness and Preparedness Network

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Dec 13, 2022, 11:00 ET

Move Positions Texas as Top Provider of Medical Countermeasures for Public Safety and National Security

SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The federal agency that protects against pandemics and bioterrorism has elevated Texas Biomedical Research Institute into the top ranks of its national readiness and preparedness network.

The new designation as a prime contractor opens Texas Biomed to a portfolio of up to $100 million in funding over five years through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. BARDA oversees advanced research and development of medical countermeasures – vaccines, treatments and diagnostics – for public health emergencies stemming from infectious disease outbreaks, as well as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents and attacks.

"Texas Biomed's new partnership with BARDA will improve our ability to prevent, assess, prepare for, and respond to biological threats," said U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio. "This move further expands Texas' significance as a leader in military and community preparedness. The jobs and innovations that will be generated from this designation will boost San Antonio's ability to compete globally in the biomedical and biotech realms."

Fewer than 15 labs nationwide – now including Texas Biomed as the only one in the state – are part of BARDA's Nonclinical Biological Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Network.

The network was developed in 2011 in order to better develop and bridge animal research study data to humans to provide evidence of therapy and vaccine effectiveness. It's a key element in studying medical countermeasures since efficacy of many products surrounding such critical threats often cannot be verified using human clinical studies.

"This is a huge win for San Antonio and Texas Biomed – not to mention for the whole state," said State Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio. "San Antonio and Bexar County continue to be at the forefront of innovative techniques to protect our communities. This adds even more fuel to our thriving economic engine that's been built on biotech."

Texas Biomed is the nation's only non-profit, independent research institute with the highest-level biocontainment laboratories, a national primate research center and over 80 years of experience. Since 2015, the Institute has received about $46 million through subprime contracts with BARDA.

"The significance of this cannot be overstated – it demonstrates Texas Biomed's ability to compete at the top level for research grants and contracts designed to keep our nation safe," said Dr. Larry Schlesinger, President & CEO.

Texas Biomed has a long history of working with federal agencies combatting national security bioterror threats. A recent example is its ongoing subcontract work with the Sabin Vaccine Institute through BARDA developing a vaccine candidate – being deployed now – for a variant of Ebola currently causing an outbreak in Uganda.

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This program has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, (ASPR), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) under contract number 75A50122D00020.

Texas Biomed is a nonprofit research institute dedicated to protecting the global community from infectious diseases. Through basic research, preclinical testing and innovative partnerships, we accelerate diagnostics, therapies and vaccines for the world's deadliest pathogens. Our San Antonio campus hosts high containment laboratories and the Southwest National Primate Research Center. Our scientists collaborate with industry and researchers globally, and have helped deliver the first COVID-19 vaccine, the first Ebola treatment and first Hepatitis C therapy.

SOURCE Texas Biomedical Research Institute