SiO2's Materials Science Receives $64 Million Contract From U.S. Gov to Support Additional Scale Up of Advanced Primary Packaging Platform for Biological Drugs and Vaccines
SiO2 Materials Science, a U.S. advanced materials science corporation introducing breakthrough disruptive technology for containment systems for biological pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and molecular diagnostics, today announced a $64 million agreement with the federal government.
The agreement with the Department of Defense's Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) in partnership with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, supports additional infrastructure of the company's state-of-the-art, patented, primary packaging containment system platform for storing novel biological vaccines and therapeutics including coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).
SiO2's patented materials science is a combination of a plastic container with a microscopic, undetectable to the naked eye, pure glass coating for biological drugs and vaccines.
According to Lawrence Ganti, President of SiO2, "We have been collaborating with the US Government to scale our domestic infrastructure in support of the current pandemic. This additional funding supports further expansion of our infrastructure including a facility to house our advanced fully-automated production lines and a temperature-controlled warehouse for raw materials and finished product inventory."
Essential characteristics of SiO2's patented materials science platform include providing drug and vaccines containment systems which enhance thermal stability and integrity, chemical stability, a gas barrier, mechanical durability, including no breakage.
With a thermal stability range of -196˚C to 121˚C and with a seal integrity down to -80˚C, the SiO2 vials, syringes, cartridges and blood collection tubes provide the ideal primary container system for therapies and blood samples in any storage conditions.
Chemical stability allows the product to be safe and suitable for a wide range of drug characterizations including pH ranges from 3-14; there is no risk of delamination and no metal ions as observed with glass vials.
With a gas barrier, SiO2 vials have gas permeation properties like glass and therefore provide the shelf life required and stability required by many therapies. SiO2 vials also can withstand 1,500 pounds of direct force which potentially saves millions of dollars from breaking on filling lines and minimizes loss in the supply chain, and the vials are shatterproof, making them safe for use by healthcare staff and patients.
SiO2's containers are precision molded with up to 15 times more dimensional consistency than glass, enabling error-free operation with autoinjectors and other drug delivery devices.
SiO2's patented materials science was developed in Auburn, Alabama, over 10 years with the assistance of experts from four major U.S. research institutions, University of California, Santa Barbara, University of Chicago, MIT, and Harvard, and included the participation of Dr. Glenn Fredrickson, one of the most prominent material scientists in the United States.
"The SiO2 vials solve significant challenges in the commercialization of vaccines and biological drugs, which presently cannot be solved by glass or plastic vials," Fredrickson said. "Bringing this advanced coating to market will enable pharmaceutical manufacturers to safely and more rapidly deploy their critical products."
SiO2 currently employs more than 500 engineers, scientists and technicians, most of whom live in Lee County, Alabama, in a 300,000 square foot manufacturing campus in Auburn.
Bobby Abrams, Chief Executive Officer of SiO2, stated, "The pandemic presents an enormous challenge for all people. We are extremely grateful to continue our collaboration with the US Government agencies and are honored to be a key player in bringing back advanced manufacturing to the United States."
About SiO2 Materials Science:
SiO2 Materials Science is an advanced materials science corporation introducing breakthrough disruptive technology serving the biopharma, molecular diagnostic, and consumer healthcare industries. The company is located in Auburn, Alabama. The company has deep partnerships with leading professors at the foremost research universities such as University of California - Santa Barbara, University of Chicago, and MIT.. For more information, visit www.sio2ms.com.
About HHS, ASPR, and BARDA:
HHS works to enhance and protect the health and well-being of all Americans, providing for effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health, and social services. The mission of ASPR is to save lives and protect Americans from 21st century health security threats. Within ASPR, BARDA invests in the innovation, advanced research and development, acquisition, and manufacturing of medical countermeasures - vaccines, drugs, therapeutics, diagnostic tools, and non-pharmaceutical products needed to combat health security threats. To learn more about the whole-of-America response to the coronavirus pandemic, visit www.coronavirus.gov and for more information about BARDA's COVID-19 portfolio, visit www.medicalcountermeasures.gov.
About the JPEO-CBRND:
The Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) is the Joint Service's lead for development, acquisition, fielding and life-cycle support of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense equipment and medical countermeasures. As an effective acquisition program, the JPEO-CBRND puts capable and supportable systems in the hands of the service members and first responders, when and where it is needed, at an affordable price. Our vision is a resilient Joint Force, enabled to fight and win unencumbered by a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear environment, championed by innovative and state-of-the-art solutions.
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Original Source: SiO2's Materials Science Receives $64 Million Contract From U.S. Gov to Support Additional Scale Up of Advanced Primary Packaging Platform for Biological Drugs and Vaccines
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