Anthrax Vaccine

This page contains recent news articles, when available, and an overview of Anthrax Vaccine but does not offer medical advice. You should contact your physician with regard to any health issues or concerns.


Background information on Anthrax Vaccine

Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by spores of the bacterium, Bacillus anthracis. The B. anthracis spores are highly resistant to inactivation and may be present in the soil, for example, for decades, occasionally infecting grazing animals that ingest the spores. Goats, sheep and cattle are examples of animals that may become infected. Human infection may occur by three routes of exposure to anthrax spores: cutaneous (through the skin), gastrointestinal (by ingestion), and pulmonary (inhalation). In North America, human cases of anthrax are infrequent. However, the United States military views anthrax as a potential biological terrorism threat because the spores are so resistant to destruction and can be easily spread by release in the air. The development of anthrax as a biological weapon by several foreign countries has been documented.

Human anthrax cases can occur in 3 forms. Cutaneous infection is the most common manifestation of anthrax in humans, accounting for more than 95 percent of cases. Ingestion of undercooked or raw, infected meat can cause gastrointestinal anthrax infection. Breathing in airborne spores may lead to inhalation anthrax. The mortality rates from anthrax vary, depending on exposure, and are approximately 20% for cutaneous anthrax without antibiotics and 25 - 75% for gastrointestinal anthrax; inhalation anthrax has a fatality rate that is 80% or higher. Cutaneous anthrax can usually be successfully treated with antibiotics and some antibiotics have also been approved for post-exposure prophylaxis.

The only known effective pre-exposure prevention against anthrax is the anthrax vaccine. The vaccine was developed from an attenuated strain of B. anthracis. The vaccine derives from the cell-free culture filtrate of this strain and, in its final formulation, is adsorbed onto an aluminum salt. A well controlled clinical trial using an anthrax vaccine similar to the licensed anthrax vaccine was conducted in U.S. mill workers processing imported animal hair. During the trial, 26 cases of anthrax were reported at the mills - five inhalation and 21 cutaneous cases. Of the five inhalation cases, two individuals had received the placebo, while three individuals were in the observational group. Four of the five people who developed inhalation anthrax died. No cases of inhalation anthrax occurred in anthrax vaccine recipients. Based upon a comparison between the anthrax vaccine and placebo recipients, the authors calculated a vaccine efficacy level of 92.5 percent.

The licensed anthrax vaccine, termed Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed (or AVA) is recommended for individuals who may come in contact with animal products that may be contaminated with Bacillus anthracis spores and for individuals engaged in diagnostic or investigational activities which may bring them in contact with Bacillus anthracis spores. It is also recommended for persons at high risk, such as veterinarians and others handling potentially infected animals. There is only a single anthrax vaccine licensed in the U.S.; the vaccine is manufactured by BioPort Corporation, located in Lansing, Michigan (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed (Biothrax) package insert). New vaccines using current technology are under development.

Because of biological warfare threats, the military has had an active vaccination program against anthrax.

source: USFDA

News: Anthrax Vaccine



Emergent to develop anthrax vaccine for Malaysia  -  Jan 24, 2008
Baltimore Sun,By Andrea K. Walker | Sun reporter 11:45 AM EST, January 24, 2008 Emergent BioSolutions said this morning it is working with the Malaysian government to

Emergent BioSolutions and Ninebio Sdn. Bhd. Announce Joint Venture ...  -  Jan 23, 2008
WELT ONLINE,It is our belief that this joint venture will not only expand the use of our anthrax vaccine in this market, but will also serve as a platform for joint

History Channel: The Anthrax Attacks Were an Inside Job  -  Jan 29, 2008
The Daily Scare,Financial beneficiaries would include the BioPort Corp., the source of the US anthrax vaccine, and other potential vaccine contractors.

'They gave me an order ... and I refused'  -  Feb 6, 2008
Daily Press,The cousin advised caution, noting various ills attributed to the anthrax vaccine. And one statement from a military brochure stood out, she says: The

Malaysia invests in biodefence R&D  -  Jan 24, 2008
New Straits Times,...including an anthrax vaccine known as BioThrax (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed), and other medical medical and complementary products and services.

Emergent BioSolutions to Present at BIO CEO & Investor Conference ...  -  Feb 7, 2008
Business Wire (press release),Our marketed product, BioThrax® (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed), is the only vaccine approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of

Emergent BioSolutions In Joint Venture With 9Bio  -  Jan 24, 2008
Bernama,...infrastructure and supplying biodefence counter-measures, including anthrax vaccine and other complementary products and services to the government.

Emergent BioSolutions and Ninebio Create Malaysian Joint Venture ...  -  Jan 24, 2008
Genetic Engineering News (press release),Besides Emergent BioSolution’s anthrax vaccine, BioThrax®, other medical and complementary products and services will be supplied to the Government of

Vaccines get a boost: Global market increases profitability of ...  -  Jan 27, 2008
American Medical News (subscription)The anthrax vaccine in its modern form was developed in the 1940s. The HPV vaccine uses virus-like particles made with genetic engineering techniques that

What the DOD’s Formal Charges Don’t Tell Us About Anthrax  -  Feb 12, 2008
Blogger News NetworkIn Fall 2001, Dr. Koehler said she had taken the anthrax vaccine and that she got anthrax strains from Porton Down. In the Spring of 2003,

Fresh culling in Coochbehar  -  Feb 3, 2008
Hindu,Samples from the dead cows have been sent for lab tests and anti-anthrax vaccine would be administered to cattle if the samples tested positive,

Cancer and the bacterial connection  -  Feb 15, 2008
Los Angeles Times,...one of Krieg's chemicals, VaxImmune, accelerated the body's response to anthrax vaccine by a factor of two -- from 40 days to 20.

Tests confirm zoo anthrax  -  Jan 29, 2008
Calcutta Telegraph,...the Institute of Veterinary Biologicals, also in Khanapara, to suggest the dose of anthrax vaccine appropriate for different species of mammals.

Anthrax in Chittoor a sporadic phenomenon  -  Jan 22, 2008
Newindpress,He directed the medical officers of veterinary hospitals to stock anthrax vaccine to meet any eventuality. The doctors of Primary Health Centres were asked

Despite new technology, Trudeau Institute must keep using mice for now  -  Jan 30, 2008
Adirondack Daily Enterprise,...“You really could never test an anthrax vaccine because you can’t infect people on purpose,� Gach said. “The FDA requires that you use animal models before

Vaccination Programs Under Scrutiny (Part 3)  -  Jan 31, 2008
Newstarget.com,Various microorganisms were present in the anthrax vaccine and potentially dangerous enzyme inhibitors were present in several other vaccines.

Vt Group Says 2007 Financial Performance In Line With Board's ...  -  Jan 24, 2008
RTT News,The company said that the newly formed joint venture would focus on generating BioThrax, or Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed, and other medical and complementary

Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing  -  Jan 25, 2008
Trading Markets (press release),Although production of an efficient anthrax vaccine is an ultimate goal, the benefits of vaccination can be expected only if a large proportion of the

Market Report -- In Play (WIRES)  -  Jan 23, 2008
MSN Money...including BioThrax (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed), and other medical and complementary products and services to the Government of Malaysia.

Pemberton Energy Appoints Brian Henry To Board - Quick Facts [PBT.V]  -  Jan 23, 2008
RTT News,The biodefense countermeasures include BioThrax, or Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed, and other medical and complementary products and services.

Business Data  -  Jan 24, 2008
Business Gazette,...in Malaysia to create research and development and manufacturing infrastructure, plus supply biodefense products, including Emergent’s anthrax vaccine.

Only Ron Paul has the answers  -  Jan 28, 2008
American Chronicle,Mark has helped raise awareness of military and veterans' issues, by establishing No Anthrax Vaccine. His commentary has been carried by such sites as

Anthrax vaccine will add to America's arsenal against bioterrorism  -  Dec 19, 2007
News-Medical.net,Should the anthrax vaccine prove to be equally effective in humans, it will be the first vaccine sold by the company and the expectations are that the US

Genome Company Developing Anthrax Vaccine  -  Dec 18, 2007
Dog Flu Diet and Diseases,Their anthrax vaccine, called ABthrax, proved to be effective at protecting monkeys and rabbits who inhaled anthrax spores. If the anthrax vaccine can be

New anthrax vaccine doomed by lobbying  -  Dec 2, 2007
Los Angeles Times,AP A VaxGen lab technician holds a syringe of anthrax vaccine at the VaxGen laboratory in South San Francisco. America's sole supplier faced oblivion if its

British firm works on anthrax vaccine  -  Dec 1, 2007
Los Angeles Times,WASHINGTON -- A British company is now a leading contender in the federal government's search for a better anthrax vaccine. Avecia Biologics Ltd. has tested

Newspaper says lobbying helped sink anthrax vaccine  -  Dec 3, 2007
CIDRAP,Dec 3, 2007 (CIDRAP News) – Lobbying by the maker of the only US-licensed anthrax vaccine was a key factor in causing the federal government to cancel its

New Approach to Treating Anthrax Significantly Improves Survival ...  -  Dec 18, 2007
CNNMoney.comThe anthrax vaccine takes several weeks following the initial doses before immunity is detectable, and requires multiple injections over a period of

Lobbying blocks better anthrax vaccine  -  Dec 2, 2007
United Press International2 (UPI) -- An inferior anthrax vaccine fills the national stockpile because of lobbying, reports say. When fear of anthrax was at its peak, shortly after

VaxGen Addresses MPM Claims in Letter to Stockholders  -  Dec 20, 2007
FOX News...the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a new, draft Request for Proposal (RFP) for the purchase of an improved anthrax vaccine.

Human Genome clears hurdle  -  Dec 19, 2007
Baltimore Sun,VaxGen Inc., a California firm, won an $876 million contract to supply 75 million doses of anthrax vaccine in 2004 and BioPort Corp., a Michigan firm,

The Call of K Street  -  Dec 2, 2007
SlateThe Los Angeles Times leads with an investigation into a major lobbying drive that persuaded officials to nix plans for an improved anthrax vaccine.

Staying army strong  -  Nov 28, 2007
Spectator Eau Claire (subscription),This included research that Dr. Pamela Asa conducted, who discovered the connection between the anthrax vaccine and autoimmune disorders.

MPM BioEquities Demands VaxGen Drop Merger Plan with Raven  -  Dec 12, 2007
Business Wire (press release),MPM is also aware of a new draft proposal from the Health and Human Services for 25 million doses of anthrax vaccine. As VaxGen already has extensive

Finding link to anthrax, professor set NAU apart  -  Dec 15, 2007
Arizona Republic,The US Army developed the lab strain in the 1980s as a test for the anthrax vaccine. Keim outlined his results the next morning in a conference call with

Kiwi accused of anthrax share price swindle  -  Dec 15, 2007
New Zealand Herald,...alleged the "pump and dump" scheme centred on the businessmen claiming their company had $300 million in contracts, including the anthrax vaccine.

Free speech suit dropped; Ex-sergeant at air base spoke out about ...  -  Dec 1, 2007
Newszap Delaware,...sergeant have agreed to dismiss a free speech lawsuit alleging that the airman was unfairly reprimanded for criticizing the military’s anthrax vaccine.

Emergent BioSolutions to Present at Upcoming Investor Conferences  -  Dec 10, 2007
PharmaLive.com (press release),Our marketed product, BioThrax(R) (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed), is the only vaccine approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of

A1 wire 12 10 bc-CHINA-DRUGS  -  Dec 9, 2007
Glens Falls Post-Star,Americans," Bill Hall, a spokesman for the department, said in an e-mail, adding that the government also has 28.75 million doses of anthrax vaccine.

Out with Blagojevich  -  Dec 1, 2007
Belleville News Democrat,..."Vaccine A, The Covert Government Experiment That's Killing Our Soldiers -- And Why GI's Are Only The First Victims" exposing the 1980 anthrax vaccine.

Open Letter to Ron Paul  -  Dec 19, 2007
American Chronicle,Mark has helped raise awareness of military and veterans' issues, by establishing No Anthrax Vaccine. His commentary has been carried by such sites as

Business Doings  -  Dec 12, 2007
News & Observer,...of Infectious Diseases to use Metabolon's proprietary metabolomics platform to study the biochemical profiles of humans given the AVA anthrax vaccine.


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